If you are using cotton, take a small piece of cotton and roll it between your fingers so that it forms a cotton tube about ½ inch long. It shouldn’t be too thick, but thick enough to lift the nail away from the skin. Tape one end of the cotton tube on the side of your finger. Lift the corner of the ingrown nail up and out with the opposite hand. Work the free end of the cotton tube under the corner of the nail and out the other side so that the cotton is between the skin and the nail and lifts the nail away from the skin. This can be painful and it can be awkward. The taped end is there to help you maneuver the cotton tube under the corner of the nail. You may need someone’s help in placing the cotton.
You should change the bandage and apply more antibiotic ointment daily.
Try acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen sodium (Aleve) to help with pain.
Dry the fingernail thoroughly after soaking it. You should keep your ingrown fingernail dry unless you are soaking it. After soaking your finger, you should then place any ointment or oil on the fingernail. You should also replace any cotton or bandages after soaking the finger.
Epsom salts help relieve pain and inflammation. [2] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source If you want to apply a bandage to the ingrown fingernail, dry the finger completely after soaking. Then apply a bandage.
You can soak your finger for 15 to 20 minutes. You may also place the peroxide onto a cotton ball or piece of gauze and apply it directly the the ingrown fingernail.
The tea tree oil can also help keep the nail a bit softer. You can put a drop of tea tree oil diluted in a tablespoon of olive oil on the nail daily. You can use tea tree oil as an alternative to antibiotic ointment since you probably won’t need both. [6] X Research source After the tea tree oil soaks in, put a dab of Vicks VapoRub or Mentholatum on the sore area. The menthol and camphor will work to reduce the pain and help soften the nail. Keep the menthol or camphor on for 12 to 24 hours using a bandage or a small piece of gauze. If you are using cotton to lift your nail, you can put tea tree oil on the cotton you place under your fingernail.
If the infection is deep in the finger, your physician may prescribe an oral antibiotic. If the ingrown fingernail is caused by a fungus (this is often the case if you have chronic ingrown fingernails), your doctor can determine this and offer treatment options to you. Let your physician know if the pain around an ingrown fingernail is getting worse, if the redness and tenderness spreads, if you cannot bend the finger at any of the joints, or if you have a fever. These symptoms point to a more severe problem.
When the nail is lifted, your physician will place something between the nail and skin to keep it separate. Usually, your physician will put cotton, dental floss, or a splint under your nail. If your nail is badly infected or ingrown, or you feel uncomfortable lifting the nail yourself, you can get your doctor to lift it.
If you have a partial nail avulsion, you will have to watch as the nail grows back. You will have to ensure that the nail does not grow back into the skin. In severe cases, the entire nail bed may be removed using chemicals or a laser treatment. This, however, is rarely necessary for fingernails and is more commonly used to treat ingrown toenails.
If ingrown fingernails get infected, there may be pus and the swelling may extend along the finger. The ingrown nail can grow into the soft skin on either the inner or outer corner of the nail. [10] X Research source
Injury Nail biting Cutting the fingernails too short or unevenly Fungal infections Having curved or thickened fingernails, which may be due to genetics, but can be a problem in older people
If your fingernail has pus, if the pain around an ingrown fingernail is getting worse, if the redness and tenderness spreads, if you cannot bend the finger at any of the joints, or if you have a fever, seek medical attention.
Make sure to keep your hands and nails dry. Keep your nails clean. Keep a watch on your fingernails to look for signs of ingrown nails so you can catch one early.
