Do you trim your toenails very short? When you trim your toenails, do you taper the corners, so the nail follows the same curved shape of the toe? If the answer to these questions is yes, you may inadvertently be setting the stage for an ingrown toenail to develop, as this can encourage your toenail to grow into the skin of your toe. Ingrown toenails can also develop from wearing shoes that are too tight or not long enough.

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail develops when the edges or corners of your nails grow into the skin that sits alongside the nail. This can happen with any nail on your foot, but it’s most commonly a problem with the big toe.

What causes ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails can simply be caused by the natural state of your feet – maybe your nail is simply too large for your toe, and it has nowhere else to grow. Ingrown toenails can also develop from an injury like stubbing your toe or having it stepped on. However, most ingrown toenails develop from improper grooming or wearing shoes that don’t fit properly.

How do I know if I have an ingrown toenail?

The first signs of an ingrown toenail are often discomfort. The corner of the toe will likely feel hard, swollen, and tender. Eventually it might get red and extremely sore, causing pain when it bumps against the side of your shoe, and, if an infection develops, you’ll often see a small amount of pus coming from the area.

Treating an ingrown toenail

Ingrown toenails can often be treated at home, but in some cases, complications can develop that mean it’s time to see a professional. People with diabetes or other conditions that impact their circulation are more likely to develop complications with their ingrown toenail, so, if you are in that category, it’s important to seek medical help right away.

Here’s how to treat an ingrown toenail at home:

• Soak the toe in warm water 3-4 times daily
• When it’s not soaking, make sure the toe is kept dry
• Wear loose, comfortable shoes with a lot of room for your toes
• If it gets very uncomfortable, you can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for relief
• If it gets worse, or doesn’t start to get better in 2-3 days, call a footcare expert

When you need help

If you develop a lot of inflammation, swelling, pain and discharge, it’s likely that the area around your toenail has become infected, and it’s time to call your family doctor. They can treat the infection with oral antibiotics, and they may also need to remove part or all the toenail or underlying nail bed.

If you have questions about the health of your toes or would like to have your feet examined, call the team at Aldershot Foot Care today. We’ll set up a time to assess your situation and develop a foot care routine that works with your specific situation.

We all know how important it is to care for our hearts, but too often we forget about our feet. Our feet are one of the most important parts of our body. They carry us through our days, and it’s our responsibility to care for our feet as an important part in taking care of our overall health and wellbeing.

Basic foot care at home

Taking care of your feet at home is easy. Here’s how:

1. Perform daily checks for cuts, sores, swelling and infected or ingrown toenails. If you find any of these problems, keep an eye on them and make sure you make note every day of whether they’re getting better, or getting worse.
2. Clean your feet with soap and warm water, but don’t soak them too long because that can dry them out over time.
3. Speaking of not letting your feet get dry, moisturize them every day with a high-quality foot cream, lotion or petroleum jelly, but don’t moisturize between the toes. Keeping that skin dry will help prevent infection.
4. Wear loose, comfortable shoes.
5. Avoid flats and flip-flops as they don’t provide enough support for your arches.
6. At the same time, stay away from sky high heels and shoes with pointy toes.
7. Switch your shoes up so you don’t wear the same ones every day.
8. Trim your toenails straight across using a clean nail clipper. Then, take a nail file or emery board to smooth out the corners and prevent nails from growing into the skin.

When it’s time to see a professional:

1. If you have cuts, sores, swelling or infected toenails that aren’t getting any better and look and feel a little worse with time, reach out to a professional right away. Professionals like the team at Aldershot Foot Care are specially trained to recognize problems and take the steps necessary to prevent infection.
2. If you have diabetes and notice any corns or calluses, make an appointment to see your foot care nurse at Aldershot Foot Care. People with Diabetes are prone to more complications than others so it’s important that any corns or calluses are not treated at home.
3. If your feet swell or ache and that problem isn’t improving. Our team of experts can help determine what’s causing the problem and get you on the right track back to comfort.
4. If you feel numbness or tingling in your feet, it could mean nerve damage. This is a good reason to call your doctor and have some blood work done to rule out Diabetes, or make sure your Diabetes is in check.

There’s a lot that you can do to care for your feet at home, but many patients, particularly the elderly and patients with Diabetes, require a bit more care to keep their feet healthy and comfortable. If you would like to schedule an appointment to assess the health of your feet, call our team of experts today.

For many people who suffer from diabetes, getting proper and through foot care is a common cause of concern. The good news is that the team at Aldershot foot care is here to help.

Many diabetics will experience problems with their foot care at some point in their lives. Over time, diabetes can lead to nerve damage and loss of feeling, making them less likely to become aware of cuts or ulcers on their lower extremities. This can lead to injuries being left untreated and possibly getting infected. Diabetes can also cause a reduction of blood flow to the feet. Eventually, all of these problems can possibly require amputation of the limb. This is why it’s so important for diabetics to seek out the best care available.

Here at Aldershot Foot Care Clinic, we take the risks associated with diabetes very seriously. Because of this, every one of our diabetic patients receive a thorough assessment of their foot health by a highly trained foot care nurse.

Foot care nurses are registered nurses or registered practical nurses that are trained and certified to examine the foot and recognize any problems and assess the likelihood of future problems developing down the road. Foot care nurses are trained in callous and corn removal, toenail trimming for patients unable to do this themselves, and educating patients and their families on proper ways to care for their feet.

The nurse will examine the patient’s feet and identify any issues, making sure they’re cared for or noted so they are monitored moving forward. The extent and frequency of follow-ups will depend heavily on the patient’s risk factor for complications.

Our patients are also assessed and treated by podiatrists. Podiatrists are doctors that attend specialized schools rather than traditional medical schools. They graduate as medical specialists that treat injuries to the legs and feet, and complications from conditions like diabetes. Podiatrists can do surgery, reset broken bones, prescribe medications and order lab tests and x-rays.

If the podiatrists or foot care nurse at Aldershot Foot Care Clinic determines that there is moderate to high risk of worsening problems, the patient will be referred to their primary physician for examination and follow-up.

Foot care nurses provide an essential healthcare service, and they are trained with the knowledge and expertise to do so. If you have problems with your feet, call the team at Aldershot Foot Care today. Whether you have diabetes or not, our team of experts, including a trained foot care nurse, will assess your feet and work with you collaboratively to develop a plan of care the meets your specific needs.