[quote]ThatGirl77 wrote:
Use nail clippers, pry it out, clip it as close as you can to the area where it attaches to the nail bed, WITHOUT clipping the nail bed because that hurts like a mofo. Don’t clip it all the way off - leave it attached at the end a litle bit. Yank. When it heals, quit clipping the corners and sides of your toenails. Clip straight across.[/quote]
This has worked for me twice.
[quote]Northcott wrote:
This is going to sound insane, but…
When I was about 14 I ended up with ingrowns on each big toe. Hurt like hell. Ended up getting infected. I was told about this whole “ripping it out” thing, and that’s what was awaiting me at the doctor.
So one afternoon I soaked my feet in hot water, sterilized an exacto knife, a pair of tweezers, and nail clippers, and then fixed the damned thing myself.
After trimming the nail so that only the piece growing into the toe was left at full length, I cut along the skin where the nail had grown in. I got rid of the tough top layer, then nicked the skin open enough that I could squeeze the tweezers in, grab ahold of the nail sliver, and pulled on it until it came out of the flesh – complete with green puss. Trimmed the nail, and set about dumping rubbing alcohol on the toe after squeezing out the remaining nastiness. I then repeated with the other toe.
Haven’t had a problem since.[/quote]
There is an unparalleled sense of satisfaction that comes with completing a successful self-surgery.
Standard T-Man Response 10332:
“Do it yourself, girly man”
[quote]Bodyguard wrote:
Now for the reality check as part of my clinicals I worked at the trauma center and had at least three patients come in with major staff infections from some of these cockeyed home remedies all required surgery after the mess they made and were all laid up the healthiest one was in the hospital for three weeks and then on crutches for a month the worst one lost his leg just below the knee. The other guy suffered through numerous debredments and and other such things and eventually got better but lost about 60 lbs of bdy wt from the infection.
Moral: Home Surgery not a good Idea![/quote]
It depends how bad it is. If it’s just a spike that hasn’t done too much damage, and you can clip or tear it off before it gets worse, then there should be no problem. The moral in that case is to do it as soon as you notice it, before it gets bad.
I’ve had it happen a couple times. Once was with my big toe (only) the other was with that same big toe plus one of the little toes. What the doc did was first inject something to numb the area, then cut out a sliver of the toenail along the side that’s ingrown (say, the left side) that was maybe an eight of an inch wide (in the case of the big toe). Doesn’t hurt, and it eventually grows back normal.
just wanted to say thanks for all of the advice. I tried to perform the “operation” myself. I actually got some of the nail out, but left about a 1/16th of a inch long piece of nail in. I pretty much made a toenail “knife” that but deeper into my foot and caused an infection.I Just got back from the doc this morning and he cut the rest out for me. Maybe i am just a sissy but it hurt pretty damn bad when i got thoes injections and he pulled my nail out with pliars. Thanks again
Cut a V out of the middle of your toenail so they grow inward.