Whatever you wear should make you feel comfortable, isn’t it?
Take for instance, your clothes, your accessories or your footwear.
Anything you can carry on with yourself, should be properly fitted, good looking, solve your purpose and comfortable.
Most of us sometimes compromise our comfort level to look fashionable and trendy.
Heels are aching, ankle can get a fracture, yet wearing high-heel shoes is a must, just to be updated.
What do you think?
Is it wise enough?
To me, it’s a big NO!
In case of my footwear, I am very particular.
There is no justification in getting yourself hurt because of your improper selection of footwear, be it your daily-wear, or party-wear or safety-wear.
Steel toe boots, one of the most reliable type among work-boots, should also be chosen very wisely.
In general, workers are provided with steel toe boots in their respective working areas, to protect and safeguard their feet from getting hurt.
But, have you ever heard of ingrowing toe nails because of these boots?
Does these steel toe boots really results into ingrown toe nails?
Let us acquaint on the post results of wearing steel toe boots.
Steel toe boots that are not in proper size, i.e. either too tight or too loose, can sometimes cause in-growing toe nails. Wearing improper footwear can also be another cause of this problem. Unsupportive steel toe boots can result into over-pronation of the feet, collapse of the arches and elongation of feet.
Keeping your feet healthy is not an easy task.
So, if you want to prevent yourself from such pain and discomfort, do explore this writing of mine.
It will help you to get back to work with your steel toe boots on, without any hesitation.
Start running your scrollbar downwards to get as much information, you like and I can provide.
What are Ingrown toe nails?
When the nail or part of the nail, penetrates the skin around or under the nail-bed, it causes pain, discomfort and sometimes acute infections. Mostly they occur on the big toe nails but sometimes they can occur on the lesser toe nails also.
Ingrown toe nails get ignored because initially, you feel a kind of pain while walking in a closed shoe. It only gets attention when this pain results into an infection. It can also be an ingrown toe skin, in some cases, and not the penetration of the nails. It results into redness, swelling, pain, pus and drainage of blood.
Causes of Getting Ingrown Toe-nails
Improper cutting and trimming of toe nails causes spicules of nail to remain in its bed and as the nail grows, it gets driven into the skin causing infection. Unfit footwear causes an increase in the pressure and results into the downward growth of the nail instead of straightening out.
Sometimes genetic disposition and severe pressure on the feet can also cause ingrown toe nails. Our foot is considered as a perfect breeding ground for bacteria due to its warmth and moisture. Due to the pressure created by the nails, the skin gets cut open and the bacteria then moves in causing severe infection.
The Risk Factors:
If you want to avoid getting ingrown toe nails, you should be keeping the following things in view-
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- Wearing shoes that are unfit.
- Excessive sweating of the feet.
- Fungal infection of the toe nails.
- Abnormal gait.
- Unhygienic foot-care.
- Repetitive trauma to the feet.
- Additional pressure on the feet.
- Unusually long toes.
- Obesity, Arthritis, Diabetes.
- Playing soccer, tennis and basketball.
- Deformities in the toe or foot like hammer-toes or bunions.
- Lower extremity oedema.
- Congenital deformity of the toe nail.
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How To Treat Ingrown Toe Nail?
You can get a good recovery from your ingrown toe nails with proper medical treatment.
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- In case of infection due to ingrown nails, do visit a General Physician who will provide you with Antibiotics to heal the infection.
- Podiatrist is the person who will treat your ingrown toe nails properly, either by conservative or surgical treatment.
- Sometimes soaking your feet in Epson salt and water solution can give you relief.
- Medicines like Aspirin and Ibrufen are prescribed in such cases.
- Cutting the nail, removing the ingrown portion followed with an antiseptic dressing can help you out temporarily.
- To fix this problem permanently, you need to get the section of your ingrown nail removed, entirely.
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Prevention From Ingrown Toe Nails
Few basic steps, like the following given below, can prevent you from getting ingrown toe nails-
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- Always cut your toe nails straight and not across.
- Maintain an average length while trimming them.
- Go for properly fitted shoes or boots, consistently.
- If you are working in a hazardous situation, do wear steel toe boots, but remember that they should be precisely of your size.
- Maintain a regular hygienic foot-care.
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Just keep one thing in mind, your well-fitting safety footwear (steel toe boots) will always minimize your risk of getting ingrown toe nails.
A Quick Glance At The Symptoms:
Just pointing out the symptoms that will make you sure of your ingrown toe nail and get them cured asap-
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- Redness of the toe-skin.
- Immense pain.
- Intense swelling.
- Formation of pus around the nail.
- Getting high body temperature.
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Is It Safe Enough To Cut Your Ingrown Toe Nails At Home?
Health Professionals advise not to cut ingrown toe nails at home. It is better to do so under a doctor’s supervision.
According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, one shouldn’t go for ‘bathroom surgery’, i.e. cutting of the ingrown nails too short and resulting into another ingrown nail, in future.
The American Academy of Dermatology recommends to avoid digging out or clipping an already in-grown nail.
FAQs:
Anything concerning health issue can make one nervous.
Frequent queries can rise in one’s mind regarding this ailment.
Why am I suddenly getting ingrown toe nails?
When you are stubbing or jamming your toes, you can get an ingrown toe nail. If something heavy falls on your feet creating pressure, the same can happen. Cutting your toe nails too short and improper trimming can cause ingrown toe nails.
When should one visit a doctor for ingrown toe nail?
When you detect symptoms like pain, redness, swelling, irritation or formation of pus, immediately consult a doctor.
Will ingrown toe nail heal all by itself?
In preliminary condition, ingrown toe nails can be treated at home itself. But if the nails get infected resulting into acute pain and swelling, it needs the treatment of a Podiatrist. It won’t heal all by itself.
How can one fix an ingrown toe nail permanently?
Just remove the section of your ingrown toe nail entirely, for a permanent solution.
What would happen if you leave your ingrown nail, untreated?
Lack of proper treatment of your ingrown toe nail can result into-
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- It can infect your bones.
- Gradually, bone infection will lead to foot ulcers, open sores and loss of blood flow.
- Tissue decay and tissue death at the infected areas, may happen.
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How long does it take to heal an ingrown toe nail?
It takes minimum 1-2 weeks to get healed up completely, of course, along-with proper medicines.
Can a Pedicure fix an ingrown toe nail?
Under the correct supervision of a nail professional, you can sometimes prevent ingrown toe nails.
How much does an ingrown toe nail removal cost?
On MD-save, the removal cost of ingrown toe nails ranges from $240- $309.
Does it hurt while removing ingrown toe nail?
Nothing to worry because this whole procedure is carried out by local anaesthetist. You won’t feel any pain during the surgery.
Warming Up!!!!!!
One of the most painful experience is having an ingrown toe nail.
Why worsen the situation by wearing improper and uncomfortable footwear?
When you are at work your feet needs protection and safety.
Especially when you are working around heavy equipment or hazards.
Steel toe boots can, very well, take the responsibility of the proper protection of your feet in such situations, prior to the fact that you choose your perfect pair.
Be sure enough that your steel toe boots fits you properly, lessening the chances of giving you a painful ingrown toe nail.
Bring to mind that ‘Prevention is Always Better than Cure’.
Hopefully, this article of mine will help you feel optimistic and confident enough to stick to your steel toe boots at your work-place.
An anxiety of getting ingrown toe nails cannot slow your pace.
If you know how to treat an ingrown toe nail and prevent the same, you can easily drown your worries.
Till I come up with something current and educative,
Stay connected!
Your safety and protection is always our priority!
