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Ingrown toenail in a child treatment. How to get rid of an ingrown toenail in a child? Traditional treatment for an ingrown toenail

There are many reasons why an ingrown toenail can develop in children. The main ones are:

• Incorrect nail clipping. If children often have an ingrown, this is most often due to the fact that parents cut their babies' nails incorrectly. These are either too short nails, which grow back, cut into the skin, or the cutting of toenails in a semicircle with deep trimming of the corners and their injury.
• Wrong choice of shoes. When it comes to children's shoes, there is one simple correct - if the shoes are tight or the child does not like them, he talks about the inconvenience, you should not wear them. Shoes or shoes that are too small, crushing and uncomfortable are one of the biggest causes of ingrown toenails. When wearing such shoes, a chronic injury is formed to the little fingers and thumbs, as well as the nails on them.
• Injury to fingers or nails. If children have had an injury to their toenails and they have peeled off, a new nail may grow deformed and grow into the skin. Occasionally, excessive activity that puts a lot of stress on the toes, such as ballet, dancing, soccer, can cause injury to the toes and ingrown toenails.
• Poor foot hygiene. If children do not maintain proper foot hygiene, they run the risk of developing ingrown toenails.
• Nail infections. Sometimes, an infection of the nails can also cause them to grow into the skin.

Ingrown toenail symptoms: pain and discomfort

Often times, the thumb may be the only symptom of an ingrown toenail. In other cases, several symptoms may appear. Children may also complain about:

• Swelling around the affected area of ​​the nail
• Pain around the nail that looks sore and reddened;
• Pus formation;
• Bad smell from the skin.

If more than one of these symptoms is present, it can be said for sure that the parents are dealing with an ingrown toenail.

In most cases of ingrown toenails, children can be taken care of at home. But there is debate about how to treat ingrown toenails in children. Some experts believe that surgery should be a last resort, others disagree and suggest proactive tactics. But if the kids are doing well and there is no skin infection, the tips below can be followed to help with ingrown nails.

• Place the affected leg in warm salt water for 20-30 minutes. this manipulation is carried out two to three times a day, giving some relief.
• You can place a piece of cotton wool under the affected part of the nail.
• You can use a cream with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredients to prevent infection.
• You need to trim the affected nails in a straight line.
• You can take a cotton swab and dip it in sterile olive oil. They can push the skin away from the nail.

The nail plates can grow into the surrounding cushion not only in adults. Some parents are perplexed to discover that their newborn baby has an ingrown toenail. What to do? How to help a baby? Parents wonder why this happened. After all, it is known that such a question is more concerned with people who wear unsuitable shoes, and in this case, the baby has not even tried to stand on his feet. At the same time, such a problem still occurs among children: it worries the baby, causes him not only discomfort, but also real pain. Therefore, he cries, refuses to eat and does not sleep well. It is important to identify pathology in time, find out the causes of its occurrence and provide qualified assistance. It should be borne in mind that the disease can be acquired, which is explained by improper care of the baby's nails, and congenital. In the latter case, pathological changes in the nail plate may occur in the womb, as a result of which the child is born with an ingrown nail (or not one).

The reasons for the development of the disease

The reasons can be both external, depending on the parents' illiterate observance of the child's hygiene, and internal. As mentioned earlier, the disease can be congenital. In this case, heredity is usually blamed if in some family members the nail plate grows downward, damaging the skin. Usually, such an anomaly is characterized by symmetry, when the nail grows into the skin on both sides.

The problem may also be associated with the pathology of the baby's metabolic processes. In addition, a bacterial infection or a lack of vitamins can serve as a provoking factor.

Sometimes an ingrown toenail in young children is caused by improperly fitted shoes. It sounds strange, but some parents even put shoes on babies, which constrain the leg, squeeze the fingers, provoke the emphasis of the marigolds in the fabric of elastic booties. In babies, the nail plate is very soft, it quickly lends itself to any mechanical stress, so even too tight socks can deform it.

Illiterate cutting of marigolds often leads to the disease. When done too often, nails can grow in. It is also not recommended to cut them too short. Sometimes parents are unable to accurately cut their baby's nails due to his anxiety and restlessness. As a result, an uneven cut is formed, sharp tips lead to mechanical irritation, and subsequently to a possible ingrowth of the plate into the skin. Therefore, a nail file in a set for children's manicure is a must. It has a soft abrasive, so its use is able to minimize trauma.

An ingrown toenail in babies often occurs due to attempts by parents to give it a rounded shape. In doing so, they cut the corners of the nails, while it is considered correct to leave a straight line.

Stages of development of pathology

It is clear that the baby will not be able to tell where and how it hurts. He expresses his emotions by crying. Therefore, a signal that an ingrown nail has formed in a baby can only be his anxiety and curling with legs (handles). Therefore, if until a certain moment everything was in order, and then the child began to show anxiety, then it is worth carefully examining the baby's body in order to detect a problem.

If an ingrown toenail in a baby was caused by hereditary reasons, then the problem is detected even in the hospital, when the doctor examines the baby. It is noteworthy that pathology can be of varying degrees of complexity. Depending on this, the specialist appoints specific therapeutic measures aimed at restoring the health of the plate. If the disease is ignored, it begins to progress. In this case, the symptoms can appear in stages.

1. Initially, there is a slight swelling of the lateral ridges. When pressed on them, pain intensifies, which can be understood by the child's sharp cry: when the doctor or parents try to examine the leg or handle, the baby instinctively pulls the limb and cries.
2. In the absence of a therapeutic effect, the roller turns reddened noticeably. The tumor becomes pronounced, pus may even appear. Again: if you try to put pressure on the finger, then the baby begins to cry heavily. It is worth considering that the child is constantly worried about aching pain, so he is capricious and behaves restlessly even without touching the center of pain.
3. At the last stage of the development of pathology, without medical intervention, there is a strong inflammation of the soft tissues and their decomposition.

Symptoms and manifestations

An ingrown nail in a baby is easier for parents to find on the handles. On the lower limbs, the problem becomes apparent when the skin is already inflamed. Parents sometimes find it difficult to understand what exactly is happening with their beloved child. A baby cannot tell that he is in pain. He just cries and is capricious. But observant parents notice that anxiety increases when a sore finger is touched. Also, some children try to get a problem area, take off a sock, or, conversely, try to move the leg away. If this behavior is noted, it is important to immediately examine all fingers. If redness or swelling is found, you should consult a specialist.

It is known that the nails grow on the legs of children more often than on the pens. This is explained by the fact that sliders, socks, booties and even shoes are usually put on the lower limbs. Therefore, it is difficult to notice the development of the problem in time.

How to treat an ingrown toenail in a baby?

If the disease is not treated on time, then the inflammatory process quickly spreads to the surrounding tissues of the skin. In order not to aggravate the situation, it is important to promptly seek qualified medical help. The progression of pathology can be of varying severity, so the doctor may offer treatment depending on the nature of the tissue damage and the severity of the situation. So that it does not come to surgical intervention, you need to act immediately.

Surgery

Treating an ingrown toenail in a newborn may require surgery. There may be several treatment options. The choice remains with the specialist and the baby's parents.

The surgical method consists of performing a small operation using local anesthesia. The plate can be completely removed, or it can only partially correct its shape. Surgical manipulation is a traditional technique in which the doctor cuts the inflamed area of ​​the skin with a scalpel and removes the part of the nail plate that does not grow properly. Next, a sterile bandage is applied to the resulting wound. It is important for parents to monitor the condition of the baby's marigold and its growth in the future.

As with any surgical process, this method has its pros and cons. The obvious advantage is that the problem is solved quickly and dramatically. The disadvantages include the need to administer anesthesia, the likelihood of psychological trauma in the infant and pain in the postoperative period.

Laser correction

Only a doctor can tell you how to treat an ingrown toenail in a baby. Here you cannot engage in amateur performances and diagnose pathology on your own. Modern methods of treatment involve less traumatic operations, which undoubtedly reassures parents. Now doctors often use a laser instead of a scalpel, which makes the intervention in the child's body practically bloodless.

To begin with, a general examination is carried out and the delivery of the appropriate tests, and after that an operation is prescribed. For its implementation, local anesthesia is used, and the problem area is removed with the help of a powerful laser beam. Next, a sterile bandage is applied.

The procedure has many positive aspects:

• 100% positive result guaranteed;
• after surgery, relapses are usually not observed;
• infant does not experience discomfort during the operation;
• after the intervention, the child does not feel discomfort, as after an operation with a scalpel.

However, the laser procedure has its negative features:

• the nail may subsequently grow incorrectly;
• sometimes a fungal infection develops;
• the cost of such an operation is slightly higher.

Despite its drawbacks, the laser procedure is considered one of the most effective and safest.

How can you help at home

Of course, few parents want to subject their baby to surgical intervention, but if the baby has a nail on his hand or toe and the stage is neglected, then the operation remains the only one possible way relief of pathology. If the problem has just arisen and the parents identified it in a timely manner, then it seems possible to get rid of it with the help of improvised means, but without fail with prior consultation with a doctor. To do this, you need to steam the damaged area and cut off the sharp end of the nail with small nail scissors. The lesion site is further treated with alcohol. For steaming, herbal and other baths are recommended.

Steaming solution for a finger with a damaged nail

To make the steaming procedure for the baby the most comfortable and effective, you can use auxiliary means in the form of herbal decoctions. The herbs themselves can be picked and used fresh, or can be purchased from the pharmacy in dried form. To prepare the broth, you need to pour 6 tbsp. l. herbs chamomile, calendula, mint, burdock or nettle with two liters of boiling water. The resulting drug must be placed in a dark place and allowed to cool for 40-60 minutes. After that, they filter it, check the temperature with their own hand and let the baby dip the handle or leg with the problem nail into the container. During the procedure, it is necessary to distract the child, talk to him affectionately, so that the steaming time is at least 10 minutes.

Next, the limb is removed, rubbed dry and cut off the painful area of ​​the nail that bothers the child. After that, it is important to put a cotton swab dipped in brilliant green or iodine on the treatment site in order to prevent infection. At the end of the manipulations with steaming and cutting the nail, clean socks are put on the legs, and special "scratches" are put on the handles.

Salt compresses

For any conscientious parent, it is extremely unpleasant for the baby to discover a focus of his painful sensations. But if, nevertheless, the baby has an ingrown nail, what to do? As an alternative to taking medications, salt compresses are put forward before visiting the pediatrician. For example, if the problem was discovered in the evening, the visiting time of the inpatient doctor is over, and self-diagnosis and self-medication by the parents are unacceptable, it makes sense to use a salt compress. It has the effect of relieving unpleasant pain sensations, has a beneficial effect on the skin, softening it and minimizing puffiness. To prepare the solution, you need a glass hot water stir 1 tbsp. l. table salt. Next, you need to wait until the water reaches a comfortable temperature for the child, and then dip the child's handle or leg. It is noteworthy that even pus can be removed from the wound using this method, since it allows the resulting abscesses to open up.

Traditional medicine recipes

Traditional medicine often surprises with its healing recipes. In the case of purulent abscesses in the area of ​​an ingrown marigold, she also has her own specific recipes aimed at relieving inflammation and bringing skin tissues back to normal. One of them is the so-called garlic and onion therapy. To prepare the product, you need the following ingredients:

• one onion head;
• a clove of garlic;
• one aloe leaf;
• ghee (butter can be used) - 1 tsp;
• beeswax - 1 tsp

Chop onions, garlic and aloe leaves, add oil, wax and put on the stove, where you need to boil the mixture for about five minutes. To prevent the gruel from burning, stir it regularly, preferably with a wooden spoon. Then the container is removed from the stove, and the contents are cooled. The resulting mixture should have a thick consistency, which should be rubbed into the skin around the baby's nail on the arm or leg. You need to spread very thickly, cover with a cabbage leaf on top and bandage. If the problem is on the leg, then woolen socks are preferable. On the hands, you can do with "scratches". If the procedure is carried out for several days in a row, then the problem of inflammation and ingrown toenail usually disappears.

Nevertheless, it should be taken into account that the use of methods traditional medicine must necessarily be agreed with a pediatrician or pediatric doctor. Self-medication in this case is unacceptable.

Preventive measures

If an ingrown nail was found on the hand of a baby, and the problem is acquired, then almost always the parents are to blame for the situation. Therefore, in order to save the baby from suffering and prevent the need for surgical intervention, pediatricians advise following simple rules for caring for a child:

• carefully trim the baby's nails, but do this no more than once a week;
• for the smallest, use not nail scissors, but special children's nippers;
• try not to round off the shape of the nail and cut it off in a straight line;
• make sure that there are no sharp edges that can injure the skin.

If you follow these precautions, then the risk of finding an ingrown nail in the crumbs is minimized.

Timely identification of the disease and the possibility of relapse

Thus, ingrown nails in babies can be both a consequence of a congenital anomaly and the result of improper hygiene and care of the nail plate by the parents of the baby. If the marigold is just starting the process of growing into the skin of the roller around the plate, then you can try to cope with this problem on your own, at home, with the help of improvised means and appropriate steaming with compresses. But if the problem has reached a serious scale, and the inflammation has become critical, the baby urgently needs to be shown to a specialist.

Practicing surgeons advise, in case of severe swelling and severe inflammation, not to hesitate with the operation. Otherwise, you will have to remove the entire plate. As a result, such a nail may not grow at all, but the restoration process general condition the baby will be long and painful.

Sometimes the problem repeats itself. If, after successful treatment, a relapse occurs, then corrective manipulations are necessary, in which the doctor changes the shape of the nail itself. However, it is important not to allow such a situation, because any intervention at such a young age threatens with many side effects.

Mesounding (deformation) of the nail plate in children is often found on the big toes. In medicine, such an ailment is called onychocryptosis. Onychocryptosis in young children is a change in the correct shape of the nail, as well as pathological ingrowth of the nail into the soft tissues of the lateral ridge.

If your baby complains of pain in the toe after walking, when walking in shoes or even walking barefoot at home, it is advisable to examine the legs, it is worth paying special attention to the nails on the big toes. If you see signs of an ingrown toenail, take immediate action. At the initial stage of onychocryptosis, you can help the child at home, in case the finger is bleeding or has severe swelling, contact the clinic.

Symptoms of an ingrown toenail in a child

• An agonizing feeling and discomfort when walking, with or without shoes.
• Swelling and inflammation of the lateral ridge, on the side where the nail grows in.
• Modified shape (width).
• Changing the direction of nail growth to the side, in the tissue of the lateral ridges.
• Painful sensations when moving, walking, it hurts on the leg, namely on the fingers (with a sore nail).
• Blood or ichor, suppuration (severe).
• The finger changes its healthy color, becomes bright red. Sometimes a bluish color is present, depending on the stage of the disease.

Causes of ingrown nails in a child

• Shoes are out of size. The toe of the shoe is narrow or tight on the big toe. In this case, the edge is under constant pressure.
• Overweight. The extra pounds put tremendous pressure on the legs, especially on the toes. If your child has excess weight for health reasons, try to buy soft and correct shoes with wide toes.
• Fungal infections. Children can catch a leg infection when visiting the pool, trying on someone else's shoes.
• Incorrectly cut corners of the nail, too deep.
• Lack of micro and macro elements, as well as a vitamin in the body of children.
• Mechanical injury: bruise, blow.
• Orthopedic problems of the feet (deformity).

Treatment of an ingrown toenail in children

Do not worry if a child has an ingrown toenail, now medicine is very developed and procedures for treating ingrown nails in children are almost painless. The clinic should be contacted at the first stage of nail ingrowth.

If the nail is too deformed and deeply embedded in the skin, there is swelling, enlargement of the finger, blood or bluish color - go to the doctor without delay.

Treatment of an ingrown toenail in a child in a polyclinic

Complete removal of a marigold for a baby is the last century. The fact is that rehabilitation after such a method is very long-term and painful. Therefore, this technique is rarely used in the treatment of an ingrown toenail in a toddler.

Surgery

In modern medicine, "soft" treatment is carried out. The doctor removes only the edge of the diseased nail. But the downside is if your baby is less than ten years old - you will have to do general anesthesia. Children who do not need general anesthesia for more than ten years - they are given local anesthesia. Rehabilitation: about twenty days.

Laser treatment

A big plus of this method is minimal trauma, after the operation there will be no "scars", quick treatment at a time, without removing the nail, short "operation" 20 minutes. Rehabilitation: 3-4 days.

Radio wave treatment

The diseased growth margin is removed, while the doctor preserves a completely healthy part of the nail, there are no stitches on the finger. This method gives a bactericidal effect, and a special bandage, which is applied to the finger, allows you to put on shoes after the operation and even wet the legs of the baby. After a week, not even a trace of the ingrown nail treatment will remain on the finger.

Home treatment

• Gently trim your child's nails. You cannot cut the corners very deeply, there is a possibility of injuring the soft tissues of the finger. Cut the edge of the marigold evenly, and it is better to round off the corners with a nail file.
• Vitamin complex. More fruit, special children's vitamins and minerals.
• Foot trays. Children do not like to sit in one place, so during the foot baths, turn on an interesting cartoon for the child or come up with an interesting activity for him. The time of the bath procedure for the child's feet: 10-20 minutes, add special salt for the feet, bath foam or soap to the water.
• Give the children the opportunity to walk barefoot if you are at home, wear soft socks. If it is a cold time and you need to go outside, the toe of your shoe is wide so that there is no friction of the sore nail.
• Buy an ointment only after consulting your doctor.

Folk method or grandmother's recipe

Knead ordinary aloe with a fork into a fine gruel, add 1-2 tablespoons of warm water to it. With the help of a teaspoon, we put a little gruel on a cotton pad, apply it to the finger and gently (not strongly) bandage it with a bandage only for fixing. In the morning, remove the cotton pad, use a scissor and a nail file to carefully process the edge of the nail and the ingrown part (round off).

If you go to the clinic for a consultation with a doctor, they will pick you up effective treatment and proper care.

Sometimes children develop onychocryptosis. The term refers to an ingrown nail in a child, due to the pathology of the growth of the nail plate.

Nails consist (shown in the photo):

• from the growth zone, or matrix, hidden under the skin;
• the outer (visible) part, called the nail plate and limited by the nail ridges - 2 lateral and 1 posterior;
• the plate ends with a free edge, which we periodically trim or file.

The growth of nails goes in length, i.e. from the side of the base towards the free edge, the nail itself moves towards the free edge, like on rails.

Causes and signs of ingrowth

There are several reasons why a child's nail grows in:

• a genetic factor (very rare), in which the nail grows in width, cutting into the skin of the nail fold. Other variants of congenital pathology are a thickened cushion, curvature of the plate. Removal is needed here;
• improper care, when the child's nails are cut round and the free lateral corners cut into the skin;
• improperly fitted shoes - not the right size or with a pointed toe. The edges of the nails are tucked, deformed and ingrown;
• diseases - fungal infections of the nails, vitamin deficiency, rickets;
• trauma;
• foot disorders - clubfoot or flat feet.

Most often, ingrowth occurs on the big toe. he is most exposed to mechanical irritation and friction, injuries. But fingernails can also grow in.

Regardless of the localization or cause, the mechanism of ingrowth is the same: the nails in children gradually begin to cut into the skin. Symptoms appear: at first, pain, which becomes more intense. Then there is swelling and redness. Subsequently, an inflammatory process develops: ulcers with purulent discharge are formed. In response to thumb inflammation, an overgrowth of granulation tissue called "wild meat" occurs.

Principles of Surgical Treatment

Previously, the nail was treated only surgically: removal was performed. The method was found to be ineffective, because after it, a relapse very often occurs, or re-ingrowth, when the nails on the thumb begin to grow back. Removal entails a long recovery period, which is also a disadvantage. Now it is used only for congenital pathologies or traumatic injuries.

Modern surgical treatment is carried out in a gentle way and is reduced to the careful removal of the edge of the nail. And the roller defect is closed with a skin flap taken from the fingertip. Complete healing occurs on the 15-20th day. The operation for children under 10 years old is performed under general anesthesia, over 10 years old - under local anesthesia.

Nail treatment is often done with a laser. Removal, or evaporation, of the plate and the roller occurs only with a carbon dioxide laser. The laser beam "welds" the vessels, thus avoiding blood loss. If the nail is treated with a laser, the recovery period is shortened. Other advantages are: low injury rate, few relapses, painlessness.

Another gentle method is radio wave treatment, in which the effect is also low-traumatic and painless. The recovery period lasts 3-4 days.

Conservative methods

At the initial stage, it is possible to use a tamponade, which consists in the introduction of a material (capolin) with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory solutions between the nail roller and the nail.

For an uncomplicated ingrown toenail, the doctor may try to treat the child with corrective braces or plates. They are installed on the nail for a long time. The effect is due to devices that lift the nails, thereby preventing further ingrowth. As a result, inflammation, swelling, pain is relieved, and the nails take on their original shape. The use of these structures for children is possible from the age of 5.

In the presence of inflammation and pus, it is necessary to treat it with antibacterial agents. Of the local preparations, ointments are more often used: levomekol, tetracycline. In some cases, systemic antibiotics may also be needed: oral or parenteral. Antiseptic agents are also used: Vishnevsky ointment or ichthyol.

Home methods

What to do if you find signs of ingrowth in a child: pain, redness, swelling? It must be said right away that it is possible to treat the disease at home only with an uncomplicated form, when there is no pus, "wild meat".

• First you need to soften the skin on your leg. At home, you should do baths: with salt (you can sea), soda, with a solution of potassium permanganate, with decoctions of herbs (chamomile, calendula, etc.).
• They soften nails well and remove inflammation of the "cakes" of gruel made from the leaves of aloe, plantain.
• Next, slightly lifting the edges, you need to carefully cut off the ingrown tips.
• Then treat the ingrowth site with vodka or alcohol, lubricate with antibacterial ointment.
• A piece of sterile cotton wool or bandage can be placed under the edge of the nail plate.
• Subsequently, the procedures should be repeated regularly, and the tips of the nails should only be filed.
• At home, walk barefoot more often so as not to irritate the sore spot with shoes or socks.
• If the steps do not help, you need to see a doctor. Further attempts at self-treatment are fraught with complications.

Complications and prevention

Complications are: osteomyelitis, sepsis. And if there is diabetes mellitus there is a risk of gangrene.

Prevention is aimed at the causes of the occurrence and includes:

• the correct shoes for the child should be in size, with a rounded toe. A child in shoes should wiggle all his toes. Attention should also be paid to the quality of the shoes;
• don't forget about socks and tights. The child should also be comfortable in them;
• it is important to cut the nails of the child correctly, or teach the child himself, if he is already able to do everything on his own. That's right - in a straight line (preferably with pliers), and the corners and the free side should be carefully filed. You don't need to cut your nails short, it is better to leave a little white edge;
• treat all diseases and injuries in a timely manner.

It is important that both the child and the parents understand that there is no need to be afraid to see a doctor.... Modern methods of treatment are painless, they are mainly carried out on an outpatient basis, they do not disfigure the nails. And after the procedures, the child can continue to lead a normal life, without any restrictions!

The structure of the nail does not allow it to grow into the skin, it grows from the base to the free edge, however, if the nails are cut incorrectly, they will begin to deform and fester.

What is this article about?

Causes and signs of pathology

Onychocryptosis is a pathological condition in which part of the nail plate grows into the tissue of the finger. After a while, inflammation begins, the patient is worried discomfort, there is a strong pain syndrome.

A number of factors contribute to the ingrowth and deformation of nails in a child, primarily it comes about a lack of vitamins, mineral substances... If there is not enough calcium, phosphorus and zinc in the body, changes appear in appearance nail, irregularities. The edge cuts into the skin, gradually grows in.

Anatomical features are capable of causing ingrowth of toenails, a violation is more often diagnosed in children suffering from flat feet, hallux valgus. The cause may be improper care, a congenital anomaly, or wearing tight shoes.

Diseases often become a prerequisite for nail problems:

1. fungus;
2. rickets;
3. injury.

The infant may also suffer from an ingrown toenail, usually caused by a yeast infection during childbirth. The symptom is considered as a congenital disorder, a genetic propensity for infection. The thumbnail and little finger are affected. If onychocryptosis is suspected, parents should seek the help of a dermatologist.

The disease is characterized by vivid symptoms, it is difficult not to notice it right away. The appearance of an ingrown nail on the hands or lower extremities is accompanied by redness of the fingertip, slight swelling.

After the affected area becomes hot to the touch, soreness appears. If a child has an ingrown toenail, he will begin to complain that it has become uncomfortable and painful to walk. A little later, there is a strong compaction of the affected nail, the release of purulent exudate.

Further, most likely, an infection occurs, which makes itself felt by an increase in the tumor, the release of more pus. Inflammation is accompanied by an increase in the general body temperature up to 37-38 degrees.

Home therapy

What to do with an ingrown toenail? It is possible to get rid of an ingrown nail in a child in two ways - conservative or surgical. The operation is resorted to as a last resort, since the risk of recurrence and abnormal growth of the nail in the future reaches 60%. Whenever possible, doctors begin treatment with gentle methods. One of the options would be to use folk remedies that are easy to use at home.

The first thing that parents need to remember is that it is forbidden to cut off the cut-in corners, otherwise the situation is aggravated, the likelihood of re-ingrowth of the nail increases. Treatment begins with the elimination of the inflammatory process, warm baths with antiseptic preparations and infusions of medicinal plants are recommended.

Decoctions of pharmacy chamomile, oak bark, sage, Furacilin, hypertonic solution, potassium permanganate are used with equal efficiency. Baths relieve swelling, inflammation, soften soft tissues around the nail bed. Additionally, emollients are used: aloe, glycerin, butter, urea.

If necessary, apply antibacterial ointments to the affected areas:

• gentamicin;
• tetracycline;
• ichthyol;
• Vishnevsky.

The next step after releasing the corners of the nail will be fixation; for this, a small piece of cotton wool is placed in the affected area. For maximum sterility, it is treated with an antiseptic, an adhesive plaster is glued on top, and a bandage is applied.

After about 5-7 days, the corners of the nail will grow a little, appear above the soft tissues. Now they need to be carefully cut in such a way that the tip protrudes outward only by a couple of millimeters.

Juice and lemon zest, sunflower oil will help to get rid of pathology. The mixture is brewed in boiling water, infused for 10 minutes and used for baths. Also, the composition is suitable for medical compresses, lemon peel is rubbed on a fine grater, juice and oil are added:

1. the mass is applied to the affected area;
2. cover with gauze on top;
3. wrapped with a bandage.

The compress is left until morning, after which the nail is treated with warm water.

To eliminate the inflammatory process, a remedy is prepared from aloe leaves. The plant is used which has been previously stored in the refrigerator for a week. The thorns are removed from the leaf, crushed to the state of gruel, and a bandage is made.

The exclusion of external stimuli will help prevent ingrowth, the child should walk barefoot at home, even socks should be abandoned.

For outdoor walks, you should purchase comfortable orthopedic shoes, insoles or inserts.

Medicines

If the suggested home remedies for ingrown toenails do not help solve the problem, you need to resort to additional measures. The doctor will prescribe medications for the child, especially they are needed in the inflammatory process.

In addition to antibacterial ointments, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs for relieving pain, antipyretic pills are used. More often than others, Analgin, Panadol, Nimesulide are prescribed. It must be remembered that not all of them are allowed to be used in early childhood, so it is dangerous to self-medicate.

When an ingrown nail becomes infected, you cannot do without antibiotics in the form of tablets, they are used strictly according to the prescription. Such medicines, dosage regimen and duration of therapy are selected on an individual basis.

An ingrown nail in a child is treated with burnt alum, the original preparation:

• relieves inflammation;
• accelerates regeneration;
• shortens the rehabilitation period.

If the cause of the disease is a fungus, the dermatologist prescribes drugs that are sensitive to the causative agent of the disease: Lotseril, Exoderil, Clotrimazole.

Radical treatments

When conservative methods of treatment do not give positive dynamics, complications have appeared, the doctor decides on the need for excision of the affected part or the entire nail. The operation is carried out in several ways, it can be radio wave therapy, laser correction, traditional intervention.

Radio wave method

Removal of an ingrown toenail by radio waves is considered the most gentle, safe method of treatment. The manipulation consists in removing the nail with radio waves and a special surgical knife.

The duration of the procedure is no more than 10 minutes; local anesthesia is used to relieve pain. As a result, the ingrown part and the sealed edges of the nail fold are removed qualitatively. Complications after removal are extremely rare; special care after surgery is not required. A systematic replacement of the dressing with an antiseptic is enough; Levomekol is usually used.

Laser treatment

The second most popular method recommended for treating children is laser correction. Laser intervention is carried out accurately, without pain, quickly. Thanks to laser cauterization, you can prevent the appearance of blood, minimize the risk of infection. The healing process does not take much time, leaving after surgery is not difficult.

Traditional intervention

The classic method is to excise the ingrown toenail with a scalpel. The child is unlikely to be prescribed such an operation, since the likelihood of relapse increases, the subsequent aggravation of the deformation of the nail plate.

The method is characterized by a long recovery period, the need to take antibiotics, antiseptics. The doctor may recommend removing the growth zone of the nail, after which the nail plate loses its ability to grow. Manipulation is carried out only if there is no other way to save the nail.

For patients under the age of 10 years, the intervention is carried out under general anesthesia; for older children, it is enough to produce local anesthesia.

Modern medicine has learned not to remove the nail completely:

1. the nail is removed along the edges;
2. an oval piece of skin is cut out on the pad of the finger;
3. the wound is sutured so that the skin ridges move as far as possible.

If the nail has grown on one side, only the growing part will be removed.

Positive feedback was received for such a method of correcting nails as a special bracket. When the pathology is inherited, the brace is the only way to avoid surgery. The method is used to treat children over 5 years old.

Consequences

Regardless of the means and methods used to get rid of ingrown nails, every parent should understand that if the treatment does not help, you need to seek additional advice. If you do not do this, do not start more radical treatment, the situation is significantly aggravated, and serious complications arise.

It must be remembered that the ingrowth of the nail is fraught with the addition of all sorts of infections, the nail begins to pluck, fester. In the absence of adequate therapy, sooner or later, the child will begin pathological processes: an abscess, sepsis, osteomyelitis. The child's body is so weak that it will not be able to cope with the infection normally, it will spread quickly enough.

The greatest danger of an ingrown nail is for children who suffer from diabetes mellitus, since their body is most susceptible. The problem can lead to gangrene of the affected toe and even the entire foot.

For this reason, doctors take cases of ingrown toenails seriously, especially in children.

Prevention measures

Comprehensive treatment must necessarily be supported by preventive measures to prevent relapses. In the case of ingrown nails, it is important to prevent the problem from reoccurring.

Dermatologists recommend that you always choose the most suitable footwear for your child. It should have a spacious sock that does not squeeze the fingers. It is better to give preference to shoes made of natural materials that allow the nails and skin to "breathe".

Correct footwear does not put pressure on the nail plates, makes it possible to move your toes freely. If indicated, the shoe should have an orthopedic insert or insole. The model is selected depending on the characteristics of the foot.