How to Treat an Ingrown Fingernail

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Co-authored by Mohiba Tareen, MD and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: December 16, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Home Treatments
|
• Soaking
|
• Medical Treatment
|
• Symptoms and Causes
|
• Expert Q&A

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Ingrown fingernails are not as common as ingrown toenails, but they can happen. When they do, they can be painful and become infected. If your fingernail is ingrown, one edge of the nail grows and curves into the soft skin around the sides of the finger. Learn how to treat an ingrown fingernail so you can reduce your discomfort and heal it.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Home Treatments

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1. 1
   Lift your nail. If the ingrown nail is minor, you can lift the nail yourself. Soak the nail to soften it, and then place something underneath the nail to help separate the nail from the skin so it can stop growing into the skin. Try putting clean bits of cotton gauze or cotton balls or dental floss underneath the edge of the ingrown fingernail.

   • If you are using cotton, take a small piece of cotton and roll it between your fingers so that it forms a cotton tube about ¹⁄₂ in (1.3 cm) long. It shouldn’t be too thick, but thick enough to lift the nail away from the skin.
   • Tape one end of the cotton tube on the side of your finger. Lift the corner of the ingrown nail up and out with the opposite hand. Work the free end of the cotton tube under the corner of the nail and out the other side so that the cotton is between the skin and the nail and lifts the nail away from the skin.
   • This can be painful and it can be awkward. The taped end is there to help you maneuver the cotton tube under the corner of the nail. You may need someone’s help in placing the cotton.
2. 2
   Use antibiotic ointment. You can use a dab of a topical antibiotic ointment on your finger to prevent infections. Spread the ointment over the area with a clean Q-tip, then cover with a clean bandage.

   • You should change the bandage and apply more antibiotic ointment daily.
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3. 3
   Take over-the-counter pain relievers. Infected ingrown fingernails can cause a lot of pain. To help with this, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for daily dosages.

   • Try acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen sodium (Aleve) to help with pain.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Soaking

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1. 1
   Soak the nail in warm water. Soak your finger in warm water for about 15 minutes. Soaking helps relieve pain in the finger and helps with swelling. You can do this 2-3 times a day.

   • Dry the fingernail thoroughly after soaking it. You should keep your ingrown fingernail dry unless you are soaking it.
   • After soaking your finger, you should then place any ointment or oil on the fingernail. You should also replace any cotton or bandages after soaking the finger.
2. 2
   Use Epsom salt. Another option to help an ingrown fingernail is to soak your hand in Epsom salt. Fill a basin with warm water and add a couple of teaspoons of Epsom salt. Let your hand soak for 20 minutes.

   • According to podiatrist Mark Co, you can “use table salt as well, but use a little more if you don’t have any Epsom salt.”
   • Epsom salts help relieve pain and inflammation.
   • If you want to apply a bandage to the ingrown fingernail, dry the finger completely after soaking. Then, apply a bandage.
3. 3
   Clean your finger with hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is used to prevent infection. You can clean your ingrown fingernail in a solution of warm water and hydrogen peroxide.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Medical Treatment

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1. 1
   Go to the doctor. If your ingrown fingernail has become infected, or it has not gotten better after around five days, you may need to see your doctor. Your physician may treat the ingrown fingernail with a topical antibiotic that you spread on the skin.

   • If the infection is deep in the finger, your physician may prescribe an oral antibiotic.
   • If the ingrown fingernail is caused by a fungus (this is often the case if you have chronic ingrown fingernails), your doctor can determine this and offer treatment options to you.
   • Let your physician know about all of the symptoms related to your ingrown nail.
2. 2
   Have your nail surgically lifted. For an ingrown fingernail that is infected but has not started producing pus, your physician may want to lift it. Lifting the nail helps separate the nail from the skin so it can grow over the skin instead of into it.

   • When the nail is lifted, your physician will place something between the nail and skin to keep it separate. Usually, your physician will put cotton, dental floss, or a splint under your nail.
   • If your nail is badly infected or ingrown, or you feel uncomfortable lifting the nail yourself, you can get your doctor to lift it.
3. 3
   Remove the ingrown nail surgically. If you have recurrent ingrown fingernails, your physician may recommend some form of surgical removal. Most commonly, a doctor will perform a partial nail avulsion. This is where the part of the nail that is ingrown is cut out.

   • If you have a partial nail avulsion, you will have to watch as the nail grows back. You will have to ensure that the nail does not grow back into the skin.
   • In severe cases, the entire nail bed may be removed using chemicals. This is commonly used to treat ingrown toenails.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Symptoms and Causes

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1. 1
   Recognize the symptoms of an ingrown fingernail. An ingrown fingernail is a fingernail where one edge of the nail grows and curves into the soft skin around the sides of the finger. The resulting pressure causes redness, pain, swelling, and sometimes an infection.

   • If ingrown fingernails get infected, there may be pus and the swelling may extend along the finger.
   • The ingrown nail can grow into the soft skin on either the inner or outer corner of the nail.
2. 2
   Learn the causes of ingrown fingernails. Ingrown fingernails are rarer than ingrown toenails; however, there are a few things that lead to them. Causes of ingrown fingernails include:

   • Injury
   • Nail biting
   • Cutting the fingernails too short or unevenly
   • Fungal infections
   • Having curved or thickened fingernails, which may be due to genetics, but can be a problem in older people
3. 3
   Monitor for worsening symptoms. Most ingrown fingernails will heal with home or standard medical treatment. However, some infections may become severe. If your symptoms become severe, you should go to your doctor immediately.

   • If your fingernail has pus, if the pain around an ingrown fingernail is getting worse, or if you have a fever, seek medical attention.
4. 4
   Prevent ingrown fingernails. You can try to prevent ingrown fingernails from occurring. Refrain from cutting your nails too short because this can lead to ingrown fingernails. You also should refrain from ripping or tearing your fingernails. File off any rough, uneven edges.

   • Make sure to keep your hands and nails dry. Keep your nails clean.
   • Keep a watch on your fingernails to look for signs of ingrown nails so you can catch one early.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  Can my ingrown left thumbnail correct itself? Will it grow out and be normal again?

  

  Chris M. Matsko, MD
  Family Medicine Physician

  Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

  

  Chris M. Matsko, MD

  Family Medicine Physician

  Expert Answer

  It will grown out normally again, but you may want to cut out the ingrown part of the thumbnail or lift the nail.

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