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Ingrown Toenails Don't Have to Be Your Kid's Secret

By Dr Christopher Segler

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 19Dec2008 Word count: 734 Viewed: 723 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

As Billy trudged his way into the treatment room, you could tell he was nervous. He looked like a kid on his way to time-out. His mother said she had discovered that he had been keeping a secret from her.

For weeks Billy had an ingrown toenail that he was afraid to let her know about. He had been trying to cut the corner of it out himself, but it became infected. It was hard to tell if he was nervous being in the podiatry office, or just that he felt bad about his attempts at self-treatment being discovered.

When it comes to a typical day in the foot doctor’s office, ingrown toenails are one of the most frequent conditions we treat in children. Because kids may become nervous about going to se a doctor, they will keep the problem a secret. I have seen kids with ingrown nails that were present for many weeks or months.

They will often try to ignore the problem until it becomes infected. As a foot and ankle surgeon, I see this scenario all too often. Parents can easily prevent this common problem by following some simple recommendations.

The longer the ingrown toenail goes untreated, the more likely problems will develop. Sometimes the infection will spread and an even infect the underlying bone. A bone infection is a very serious problem.

It isn’t the kids fault of course. Foot doctors blame many factors including shoes that are too small and have a restrictive toe box. Another contributing factor is cutting the nails to short. Some kids have nails which are curved inward at the corners. This is an inherited problem that is correctable with minor surgery.

Don't let your kids figure this out on their own. Show them how you cut your own toenails. Keep in mind that all normal nails should be cut straight across. If the nails are curved, this is not normal and you should see a podiatrist.

Do not cut the nails short, as this can cause problems. Cutting them shorter at the edges can leave a small but jagged corner (called a spicule) that is hard to see. This spicule can be sharp and pointed. If you have one, even the slightest bump to the end of the toe can cause an ingrown nail.

Proper shoe fitting is important to prevent squeezing the toes together. When the toe box is tight, it can press the flesh against the corner of the nail and cause it to become inflamed or ingrown. Make sure the shoe is long enough and that the toe box is not restrictive.

If you do notice an inflamed ingrown nail, try soaking the toe. Warm water and epsom salts can make the skin more pliable. Don't let the kid pick at it. But, It is okay to massage it to see if the irritated skin will then allow the nail to become free.

Many people think that cutting a “V” in the middle of the toenail will allow the nail to grow toward the center and relieve an ingrown toenail. Unfortunately this is a old wife’s tale that doesn’t work. The center of the nail just won’t grow inward.

If you try to soften and massage the nail, but is doesn't provide any relief, you should seek professional help. The most effective treatments are involve minor surgery that will remove the portion of the toenail that causes trouble. If this is a recurring problem, a permanent correction can be performed in the doctor's office.

Don't try this at home. Keep in mind that the nail grooves are loaded with bacteria. Digging around with sharp instruments can lead to a nasty infection.

There are many techniques that podiatrists use to make sure that the procedures are not painful. Most kids have very little discomfort during the procedure. Almost all leave the office, feeling much better than before they came in the door.

In some cases your foot doctor might need to prescribe antibiotics to treat infected ingrown nails. Regardless of the severity, ingrown toenails should not be ignored or hidden away from parents.

As for Billy, we took out the portion of the ingrown toenail without any trouble. He even got to play football on his high-school team that very same night. He said next time, he wouldn’t keep it a secret.

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