Ingrown toenails smell funny and they hurt. The fact that they hurt isn't surprising as an ingrown toenail occurs when your toenail actually decides to start digging into the skin around it. You can spot the problem through the aforementioned pain, w

Needless to say, it is best to nip the rogue nail before it causes enough trouble to warrant a visit to the ER. Luckily, toenail treatment is fairly simple.

What Causes Ingrown Toenails?

Well, there are a variety of reasons for your toenails to start rebelling. If you're the kind of person who just loves tight and snug shoes or high heeled ones, the compression inside the shoe could actually make the nail grow abnormally and into your toe. Improper toenail care can also provoke some rebellious behavior from your toenails.

Ingrown Toenail Treatment

You don't need a nail care expert to take care of your toenail; you just need some tools like an ingrown toenail file and the know how to use it, especially if you catch the little bugger early in its conquest. Surprisingly, a simple toenail treatment method is to simply soak your feet in warm water four times a day. You don't even need to add anything special to the water.

Make sure to wash toes, too, twice a day at the very least, with good old soap and water and make sure to keep it dry the rest of the day. If at all possible, wear sandals to give your toes room to breathe and if you really need to wear shoes, at least make sure that these shoes aren't choking the life out of your feet.

The most painful part of ingrown toenail treatment at home is also the most important part. It involves rolling gauze or cotton into a sort of wick and placing it between the errant nail and the skin involved, lifting it out of the way of trouble. It's a lot more painful than it sounds or maybe even looks. After you soak your feet, try to push the gauze in even further it to lift the nail higher up. Make sure to change out the roll every day. This method can take up to two weeks to work out.

If it doesn't work, it might be time to visit a doctor.

Footing the Issue

Whether you're attacking the problem with an ingrown toenail file or with a visit to the doctor, you should be aware that the problem is avoidable and if it does happen, it's something that can easily be remedied. It hurts, sure, but ingrown toenails can be treated with the viewpoint of someone looking at a toothache - it's an awkward and annoying part of life and one that it easily remedied with some home treatments or a quick visit to a healthcare professional.