How do you get rid of?

Question

an infected in-grown toenail ive had it for about 2 or 3 months now but i just noticed today that its infected, because i stubbed it and it started gushing white puss! how can i make it go away. i REALLY don't want surgery, and please only logical answers

Answer 1

If it is already full of pus, you need to see a doctor.  They may want to remove it, or they may just cut it back and drain the infection.  At the very least you will probably need antibiotic to clear it up and they will need to trim the nail so it is not embedded anymore.

See your doc, or go to a walk in clinic at Walgreens and see a nurse practitioner

If you can't get to a doc right away, clean it with some soap and water.  Dry it well, put some antibiotic cream on it (neosporin) and bandage it to keep it from getting worse

Answer 2

Soak your foot in warm water with Epson salt.  It definetly helps.

Answer 3

Depends on where it is pussing from.  If it is the nail, it may need to be removed, and its a simple process.  If it is another area, peroxide and and antibacterial cream should help.

Answer 4

Actually I had the procedure done today... it's like, the 6th one I've had.  In grown toenails won't go away unless you get it done.  "Home surgery" doesn't work, I have tried it numerous times.  The toenail is so deep that you have to have a professional do it.  It's relatively painless... it's not a big deal at all.  They just give you a shot in your toe to numb it, and then they go in to the nail bed and take out the piece of the nail that is causing the infection.  Then they clean it out, and you can have the doctor put stuff in the nail bed to prevent in grown nails in the future... They just put a liquid on a q-tip, and dab it on the nail bed.  It kills the cells so the nail won't grow back on the side and cause infections in the future.  It doesn't make the WHOLE nail not grow back (don't worry your feet wont look freakish), it just prevents a tiny piece of the nail from growing back, and you can't even tell.  The "procedure" only takes about 20 mins, and then you're good to go.  I got my toe nail fixed this morn, and then a few hours later I went on a run.  It takes a while for feeling to come back into your toe (anywhere from a few hours to a day), but it's only the toe they numb, not your entire foot.  Seriously, I know how painful in grown toe nails are.. they suck.  It's hardly surgery... it's just a tiny procedure that takes no time at all.  Having a doc do it is so easy and insurance will cover it.  Good luck!

...Oh and as suggested by other people, soaking it in warm water with Epsom salt is what docs recommend, so do that regardless of whether you go to a doc.  And hydrogen peroxide is BAD.  Don't do it... it will make it worse.  Remember, you probably wont have to get the entire nail removed, only a tiny piece of it... if you go get it fixed now.  The longer you wait to see a doc, the more infected and painful it will get, so if you wait, you could potentially lose the nail.

Answer 5

Surgery is not always necessary. First, if it's infected, you may need to be on antibiotics to keep the infection from spreading. It may be able to be treated in the office. I've seen a lot of infected ingrown toenails over the years, and it may take a few visits, but they were able to avoid any kind of surgery. Soak your foot for 20 minutes in warm (not hot) water with Epsom salt. That should provide temporary relief.

Answer 6

Put some tissue or cotton between the nail and get to the doc asap...

disinfect daily too... hope this helps