One of the more common foot complaints podiatrists see is ingrown toenails. They can be painful and definitely can knock the pep in your step, limiting your ability to accomplish what you need to do. But why do they occur and how can you stop getting nailed with them?
“当指甲的侧面长到周围的皮肤时，就会发生向内生长的脚趾甲。”Joseph Dobrusin, DPM a podiatrist at Banner Health in Arizona, “The skin doesn’t know that the nail belongs to you—all it knows is this is an offending object. This causes an inflammatory response leading to redness, swelling and pain.”
是什么原因导致向内生长的脚趾甲？
多布鲁斯博士说，在向内生长的脚趾甲方面最大的因素是它们是遗传性的。他说：“人们指甲的形状是一种遗传特征，因此有些人可能会倾向于获得它们。”
Another causal factor is improper footwear—meaning tight shoes and socks—which can pinch the toes. Cutting the nail too short at the corners may also be a contributor. In some cases, trauma to the toes or participating in some stop and go type activities (like basketball or tennis) can put undue pressure on your toes and contribute to toe problems.
While you may have read somewhere that足疗是罪魁祸首, Dr. Dobrusin says nail technicians shouldn’t necessarily be to blame. “In most reputable, clean places, they do a good job of properly cutting nails,” he said. “Just make sure you aren’t having them cut your nails too short.”
Ways to treat ingrown toenails at home
对于温和的脚趾甲来说，这意味着您有一些略微的柔韧性和肿胀，有时您可以在家中治疗。你可以：
- Soak your feet in warm wateror apply a warm, moist compress to your offending toe until the nail is flexible (And no, a shower won’t count).
- Dry your feet and between your toes彻底避免出汗或潮湿。
- Place a clean wedge or any straight splitter under the edge of the nail to help lift it up away from the skin. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area when you’re done.
- Wear open-toed shoesor shoes with a large toe box.
- Take OTC pain reliever帮助减少轻度的压痛和肿胀。
If these steps don’t do the trick, and your toe is red, tender or oozing, this could be a sign of infection and will require a trip to your doctor or podiatrist. You may require an oral antibiotic if you have an infection, and your doctor may need to remove the ingrown part of the toenail with a local anesthetic.
How are recurring ingrown toenails treated?
如果您经常出现脚趾甲和家庭疗法，您的医生可能建议您使用称为化学矩阵切除术和酚化的方法去除指甲和组织。
“In healthy patients, those with no comorbidities, it’s one of the best and most commonly performed procedures we have—still after 50 years,” Dr. Dobrusin said. “You go into the section of the nail that is causing the problem and take it out and apply 90 percent phenol that causes a chemical burn and prevents the nail from regrowing.”
尽管不能100％保证您将来不会遇到任何脚趾问题，但您的脚趾很可能会得到很大改善。
Nailed it! 3 ways to prevent ingrown toenails
In medicine, the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here are three ways to help prevent ingrown toenails altogether:
Use proper nail cutting techniques
使用脚趾甲剪刀（而不是指甲剪子或剪刀）夹住脚趾甲，将它们直接修剪，不要太短。
Avoid ill-fitted shoes AND socks
Wear shoes that have a good size toe box that allow your toes to rest flat. And slip on moisture-wicking socks that allow your toes to move around freely.
Check your feet
Don’t forget to check in with your feet on a regular basis for ingrown toenails or other foot problems, especially if you are prone to ingrown toenails or have diabetes.
Got other feet concerns?
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