Have you ever had a fingernail growing into the layer of skin surrounding it? That is extremely painful, and that is an ingrown fingernail. At best, it is uncomfortable, and if you are a nail-biter or if you did not trim your nails well, you are increasing the odds of having ingrown fingernails. In addition to that, if you have a fungal infection, that can also interfere with nail growth. Also, if your nails are growing incredibly slow or quickly, that can also increase the chances of having an ingrown fingernail. However, the good news is that there are ways to treat your ingrown fingernail. Let’s go over some of the most common and easy ways to treat it at home.
Treat Your Ingrown Fingernail With Lukewarm Water
You need to pour some lukewarm water into a cup and then put your affected finger into it for about 15 to 20 minutes. You will want to do this twice a day, and over time, you will see the swelling around the ingrown fingernail going down. You cannot forget to do it if you want to treat the ingrown fingernail this way. After you finish the session, ensure that you dry your finger well. If it is wet, it can worsen the issue. There is another way you can treat it if you plan to soak your fingernail.
Add Some Cotton To The Treatment
If you are dipping your finger in lukewarm water, you can use a small amount of cotton from a cotton ball beneath the edge of the ingrown nail. The purpose of that is to keep the nail away from the surface. It might hurt somewhat, but if you can do this a few times a day, it may be a great way to prevent the nail from growing into the skin. If you want to find a treatment that is even more effective, then you will want to add vinegar to the mix.
Add Vinegar To The Water
Vinegar is a great home remedy option because of its antimicrobial properties. And this is great for treating ingrown nails. If your ingrown fingernail is not infected, then you do not need to use vinegar unless you choose to do so. However, if it is infected, you will want to add vinegar to the water when you soak it. All you need to do is to mix four parts of water with one part of vinegar. You will want to soak your fingernail into the solution for a good 15 to 20 minutes. Doing this once in about two to three days will significantly help heal the infection. There is another solution to try.
You Can Also Use Hydrogen Peroxide
Did you know that hydrogen peroxide or H2O2 is an excellent disinfectant? You will want to use the 35 percent food-grade type. Add two tablespoons of H2O2 to half of a bucket of water. Mix it to dilute it, and then put your affected finger into it for about 15 to 20 minutes. It is a highly effective treatment because it will not only help to ease the pain, but it softens the skin surrounding it. You will want to ensure that you dry your finger well after you soak it. There is another remedy to try too.
You Can Use Tea Tree Oil
Tree tea oil is an essential oil that has excellent antimicrobial properties. You will want to add a few drops of the essential oil into lukewarm water, and you will want to soak the ingrown nail for about 15 to 20 minutes. Ensure you do this about two to three times a day. You can take around four drops of the oil and add it to a tablespoon of olive oil and gently put it on the affected area as well if you prefer to do that.
All of these remedies will help heal the ingrown nail so you can get it away from the skin to cut it away. However, if the infection is not better, you will need to see the doctor as you may need a strong antibiotic.
