Incarnated Uñas: Causes, Care and Treatments

What causes incarnated nails?

The main causes of incarnate nails include:

• Inadequate cut of nails: Cutting them too short or rounded at the ends may favor the nail being embedded in the skin when it grows.
• Inappropriate shoes: Shoes too tight or that do not allow the fingers to have enough space increase the pressure on the nails, favoring them to fit.
• Trauma or injury: Repeated coups or sporting activities involving a lot of pressure on the feet can trigger the problem.
• Genetic factors: Some people have predisposition to suffer incarnated nails due to the curvature of their nails.

Care and prevention

The proper care of nails and feet is essential to prevent incarnated nails. Here are some recommendations to keep your nails healthy:

1. Nail cutting: proper technique

One of the main causes of the incarnated nails is the bad cut of the nails. To avoid problems, follow these guidelines:

• Cut straight nails: Avoid rounding the edges. Let the corners slightly stand out from the edge of the finger so that they don't get stuck on the skin when they grow up.
• Don't cut your nails too short: Leave a minimum length helps the nail grow properly.
• Use appropriate tools: Use specific nail clippers, which are more robust. Also, make sure the tools are clean and disinfected.

2. Use of suitable footwear

Footwear plays a crucial role in preventing incarnate nails. Some key recommendations are:

• Choose shoes with enough space: Make sure your fingers have space to move freely within the shoe. Too tight shoes can exert pressure on fingers and nails, favoring the appearance of incarnated nails.
• Avoid high heels frequently: High heels exert pressure on the fingers and increase the risk of nails being attached.
• Opt for breathable materials: This helps keep your feet dry and reduces the risk of infections.

In Special Footwear, you have a wide range of footwear with broad hordes, elastic blades and special widths that will help you prevent this problem added to a few feet, already in itself delicate.

3. Foot hygiene

Maintaining good foot hygiene is essential not only to prevent incarnated nails, but also to avoid infections:

• Wash your feet daily: Use warm water and soap. Be sure to dry them well, especially between your fingers, to avoid moisture, which can promote infections.
• Hydrate the skin: Apply moisturizing cream on your feet to keep your skin soft, but avoid putting cream between your fingers, as it can favor the humidity and proliferation of fungi.

Treatment of incarnated nails

If you already have an incarnate nail, you can try some basic care to relieve pain and reduce inflammation:

• Water stained tears: Dipping feet in warm water with salt for 15-20 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, helps reduce swelling and softens the skin.
• Lift the nail: Carefully, you can try to lift the edge of the incarnate nail and place a small piece of clean cotton underneath to help it grow properly. Make sure you change the cotton daily.
• Avoid cutting the incarnate nail yourself: Trying to cut the nail or the embedded edge can worsen the situation and increase the risk of infection.

When to go to a professional?

In certain cases, it is essential to go to a professional. Alarm signals indicating the need for a medical consultation include:

• Severe and persistent pain.
• Signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pus or bad smell.
• If you are diabetic or have circulatory problems, as complications can be more severe.
• When home measurements do not work or the problem is repeated frequently.

The most suitable professional to treat an incarnate nail is a podologist, a foot care specialist. The podologist can perform simple procedures to correct the incarnate nail, such as lifting the nail or in more advanced cases, perform a small surgery to remove part of the nail or treat the ungueal matrix.

In some cases, if there is a severe infection, it may also be necessary to go to a dermatologist or a general doctor for treatment with antibiotics.

Incarnated nails can be painful and annoying, but with proper hygiene, nail cutting and proper footwear use, it is possible to prevent them. If you experience severe or recurrent symptoms, it is essential to go to a medical podologist or professional to get the right treatment and avoid major complications.

Take care of your feet and do not hesitate to seek professional help if necessary!