Ingrown Toenail Aftercare and Ongoing Nail Maintenance

Ingrown Toenail Aftercare and Ongoing Nail Maintenance

Ingrown Toenail Aftercare and Ongoing Nail Maintenance

Relieving an ingrown toenail is only part of the process. The nail continues to grow, and its natural shape, footwear and trimming habits may continue to place pressure on the surrounding skin.

Good aftercare depends on the treatment you received. Advice following bracing will be different from wound care after surgery, so always follow the instructions given by your treating professional.

Why Can an Ingrown Toenail Return?

Some toenails naturally grow with a pronounced curve. Other contributing factors can include:

  • cutting the nail too short
  • rounding or digging into the corners
  • tight footwear
  • repeated pressure or trauma
  • thickened nails
  • difficulty reaching or caring for the feet
  • the shape of the nail plate

No home-care routine or correction product can guarantee that an ingrown toenail will not return.

After Professional Nail Correction or Bracing

Follow the schedule given by your practitioner. This may include returning for adjustment, removal or reassessment as the nail grows.

Do not remove a brace or correction product yourself unless you have been trained or specifically instructed to do so.

Watch for increasing pain, redness, swelling, discharge or damage to the application. Contact the practitioner if the nail begins to worsen.

After Ingrown Toenail Surgery

After surgery, the toe is a healing wound. Keep it dressed and care for it exactly as instructed by the podiatry or surgical team.

Do not apply Pōdex®, nail polish, gel or another correction product to the surgical area while it is healing.

Healing time varies according to the procedure and the individual. A partial nail removal may take several weeks to heal, while more extensive procedures can take longer. The appearance of the wound alone is not enough to confirm that it is ready for another product.

Ask the treating professional before resuming nail treatments.

Trim the Nail Carefully

Where appropriate, toenails are generally cut across rather than rounded deeply at the corners.

Avoid:

  • cutting the nail excessively short
  • digging into the side grooves
  • tearing the corners
  • using unclean or unsuitable tools
  • trying to cut a painful or infected nail yourself

People with diabetes, poor circulation or reduced sensation should seek individual foot-care advice before trimming a problem nail.

Reduce Pressure From Footwear

Shoes that crowd the toes may increase pressure around the nail.

Choose footwear with enough width and depth around the toes. The foot should not slide forward and repeatedly strike the front of the shoe.

Monitor the Nail as It Grows

Toenails grow slowly. Check the nail regularly for:

  • increasing curvature
  • tenderness at the edges
  • redness or swelling
  • broken skin
  • discharge
  • thickening or discolouration
  • lifting or cracking of an applied product

You can learn how long a toenail takes to grow out completely in our FAQs.

Where Could Pōdex® Fit?

Pōdex® is designed to lift and reshape suitable curved, involuted and ingrown toenails. It is not surgical aftercare and should never be used on an open or unhealed area.

After the nail and surrounding skin have fully healed, you may ask a podiatrist or foot care professional whether Pōdex® is suitable for the remaining or regrowing nail.

This should be treated as a new assessment. Pōdex® has not been established here as a method of preventing recurrence after surgery or guaranteeing that a corrected nail will retain its shape.

Professional Application or Trained Home Use?

Professional assessment is advisable when:

  • the nail has recently been treated or operated on
  • you are uncertain whether it has healed
  • the nail is very thick or severely curved
  • you cannot comfortably reach it
  • you have significant pain
  • you have diabetes, poor circulation or reduced sensation
  • there are signs of infection

Trained home users may apply Pōdex® to a suitable, stable nail after watching the official training video and following the instructions carefully.

For more information, read who should avoid using Pōdex® and find out whether Pōdex® can be combined with medicated creams in our FAQs section.

When to Seek Medical Advice

Seek professional advice if you have:

  • severe or increasing pain
  • spreading redness
  • marked swelling
  • pus or an unpleasant smell
  • bleeding or broken skin
  • fever or feeling unwell
  • a wound that is not healing
  • diabetes or poor circulation together with a foot wound or infection

Continuing Care

Ongoing nail care may involve correct trimming, appropriate footwear, regular observation and professional review when needed.

For a suitable, fully healed nail, Pōdex® may be one option to discuss with a trained professional. It should not replace medical treatment, wound care or necessary follow-up.


Learn About the Pōdex® Professional 3-Step Nail Lifting Gel System

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General foot-health references
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