What should I do if I have a fingernail on my leg?

A lot of people are faced with a problem when the leg of a nail grows. Such a phenomenon gives a person a lot of trouble. And in such situations it is obligatory to check with a doctor. After all, in the absence of treatment, the wound of the nail roller can develop into inflammation and suppuration of the tissues.

Why does the leg grow up?

A similar violation in medicine is commonly called onychrictosis. This pathology is accompanied by a change in the direction of growth of the edges of the nail plate, as a result of which they grow into the soft tissues of the nail roller. To date, it is common to identify several main causes of such a disease:

• If the ingrown nail is in the skin, then this may be due to genetic heredity and certain features of the anatomical structure of the nails.
• On the other hand, people with a similar problem often encounter preferring not particularly comfortable fashion shoes with a narrow toe. The risk group includes women wearing heels, since in this case the pressure on the toes increases.
• Some experts associate ingrowing nails with improper cutting them, in particular removing their edges.
• Injury to the nail plate can also be a cause.
• If the nail is grown on the leg, then this may indicate a previous fungal infection. Fungal microorganisms often change the structure and thickness of the nail plate, which, naturally, affects the process of its growth.

Onihokryptoz - a very unpleasant phenomenon. Fortunately, modern medicine offers methods of solving the problem.

Ingrown toenail: photos and symptoms

At the initial stages of the disease, the edges of the nail plates cut into soft dermal tissues - around the nail, you can see a slight swelling and redness of the skin. There is soreness, which increases during walking in uncomfortable shoes.

As the disease develops, swelling, redness and pain become more pronounced. Damaged soft tissues are an excellent place for the penetration of bacterial and fungal organisms - this is how inflammation develops, which is often accompanied by the formation of abscesses. Along with this, there is a change in the structure of the nail plate itself. In some cases, there is a proliferation of tissues around the ingrown edges of the nail - because of their very characteristic appearance they are often called "wild meat".

Methods of treatment of ingrown nail

If you have a fingernail on your leg, you should immediately consult a doctor. The absence of treatment is fraught with serious consequences. Therapy depends on the severity of the symptoms.

In the absence of infection, doctors tend to recommend conservative treatment. In the initial stages, regular warm baths with decoction of chamomile will be effective - they will help soften the nail plate and relieve inflammation. In some cases, patients are given special nail tires. A similar device is designed to smooth the growth of the nail and reduce the pressure of the nail plate on soft tissues.

If there is an infection accompanied by suppuration, surgical intervention is necessary. During the procedure, the doctor removes part or all of the nail plate, and then cleanses tissues from purulent masses.