How To Use Dental Floss To Treat Ingrown Toenail

How To Use Dental Floss To Treat Ingrown Toenail

Have your toenails ever been ingrown? If so, you know how uncomfortable and annoying it may be. When a nail curves inward instead of outward, it causes an ingrown toenail. The wound becomes increasingly infected if not treated. But what if we told you that you didn’t need medical attention to treat your ingrown toenail? What if we said that this therapy might set you back less than two dollars?

We know what you’re thinking: we’re nuts for even suggesting it! It’s true that dental floss can alleviate the pain of an ingrown toenail. In this piece, we’ll explain why flossing can prevent ingrown nails and then teach you how to do it.

Due to the fact that there are numerous causes of ingrown toenail and they manifest in different ways, you need to know how to prevent and treat ingrown toenails as soon as they appear. In these situations, dental floss is one of the most effective tools. Keep reading and learn how you can use dental floss in treating your ingrown toenails. Read on to learn more on dental floss ingrown fingernail/digging out ingrown toenail.

How To Use Dental Floss To Treat Ingrown Toenail

You may wonder if this hack is really works. Sounds great, uncomplicated and may solve a common problem. This popular hack on the internet recommends using dental floss to fix an ingrown toenail. This does sound logical, slide dental floss under your nail to separate nail and skin. Does this work? What does a board certified podiatrist recommend?

What is an ingrown toenail?

When the nail grows into the surrounding skin, usually the sides of the nail. Often the, the skin around the nail breaks, bacteria enter the break and causes an infection. Typical symptoms are irritation, redness, swelling and pain with each step you take.

What causes an ingrown nail?

According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons the most common causes of ingrown nails are:

• Trauma
• Heredity
• Improper Trimming of Nails
• Improperly Sized Footwear
• Nail Conditions

What does dental floss do?

Typically dental floss is used to separate the nail from the skin. You might think that this solves the problem as the nail is no longer ‘ingrown.’ Our resident podiatrist agrees with the recommendation of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: You can actually make things worse and cause an infection, by either breaking the skin or leaving a piece of cotton in the area. Do not attempt any type of ‘bathroom’ procedure on this condition.

What can I do if my nail has grown into the skin?

Soak in warm water and gently rub the area. If irritation or pain continue see a podiatrist to treat the condition. Don’t wait for the problem to resolve on it’s own, early treatment is best.

What can I do to prevent ingrown nails?

• Cut nails straight across, and never cut the corners. Let the nail grow slightly beyond the folds.
• Wear proper fitting shoes and socks. If they are tight or pinch don’t wear them.

Dental Floss Ingrown Fingernail

For a slightly ingrown nail, your health care provider may carefully lift the ingrowing nail edge and place cotton, dental floss or a splint under it. This separates the nail from the overlying skin and helps the nail grow above the skin edge, usually in 2 to 12 weeks.

Pores get a bad rap, but these microscopic openings in your skin are actually vital for producing oils that moisturize and maintain a healthy complexion. When pores get clogged and form blackheads, however, all you want to do is get rid of them. Preventing blackheads entails much more than lathering up a cleanser and splashing some warm water on your face. Ahead, celebrity esthetician Kate Somerville, founder of Kate Somerville Skincare and Skin Health Experts Clinic, breaks down how to remove blackheads properly—and keep them away for good.

First, how do blackheads form?

Before you attempt to break out the magnifying mirror and remove every blackhead in sight, it’s important you understand where they come from. Somerville explains, “Blackheads form when extra sebum accumulates in the pore, and mixes with debris or dead skin cells, which then oxidizes and hardens.”

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What happens if you don’t remove blackheads?

Blackheads are a type of acne, and if left untreated, they can stretch out the skin around the pore. Somerville adds, “Blackheads can also be stubborn after extractions. Since the pore may not close up right away, it could lead to sebum filling the pore again and leading to another blackhead forming.”

How do you remove blackheads?

The best way to remove blackheads is to prep the skin with light exfoliation in the shower. Somerville recommends her own ExfoliKate, which removes the top layer of dead skin. It contains resurfacing ingredients like papaya, pineapple, and pumpkin enzymes, as well as lactic acid. “Additionally, steam from the shower helps warm the skin, which softens and opens up pores for easier extraction,” Somerville adds.

“After you shower and dry your skin, wrap your fingers with tissue paper and gently squeeze the blackhead out of the pore,” Somerville instructs. “If you’re heavy-handed, you can squeeze the blackhead out with Qtips.” Be sure to then treat the area with a witch-hazel soaked cotton pad to soothe the skin, she says.

Are extraction tools safe to use at home?

“I also don’t recommend extraction devices, as they can be too abrasive and take off the top layer of skin,” Somerville says of using tools instead of just your fingers. Step away from those pore strips, too. “The best way to fully extract the blackheads using your fingers. Pore strips and peel-off masks can often only take off the top layer of the blackheads and not fully remove it,” she explains.

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She also adds that the worst way to remove blackheads is pinching at it without any preparation. As she mentioned before, properly cleansing, exfoliating and steaming will open up the pores, making extraction more gentle.

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How do you prevent blackheads from forming?

There’s no big secret—just consistency. “The best way to prevent blackheads is a good, consistent routine of cleansing and exfoliation,” says Somerville, who suggests a cleanser with sulfur for treating acne and drawing out impurities. She also notes that family genes can play a significant role in acne in general, including blackheads. “My mom struggled with blackheads, and I have struggled with blackheads growing up as well,” she admits. You can’t fight genetics, but with these tips, you’ll at least have a leg up.

Homemade pore extractor

One of the most basic pieces of advice I give out as an esthetician is that dealing with a blackhead when it’s just a blackhead is the best thing you can do for your pores. Open comedones, or blackheads, are clogged pores filled with sebum (oil), dirt/makeup, and dead skin cells that oxidize when exposed to air.

If left to sit around for too long, they move deeper into pores and can rupture, become infected with bacteria, and develop scarring inflammation. Some theories suggest that all acne originates as a micro-comedone.

So, by treating blackheads in their earliest stage, you may prevent more severe breakouts! Regularly cleaning out clogged pores is crucial for overall skin health. 

Blackheads also fill and expand pores, and the longer they remain in the pore, the larger the blackhead can become, and the larger your pore will stretch. Oily skin usually means larger pores, and the risk for blackheads is greater. If you have oily skin, you may wonder if that will ever change.

Often as we age, our oil glands slow down and we produce less oil, so it’s not necessarily “once oily always oily,” I can assure you. These simple do-it-yourself blackhead-fighting masks are ideal for oily or acne-prone skin, no matter what stage in life you are in. 

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1. Honey Blackhead Mask

Honey is not only antibacterial but naturally unclogs pores as well. Using clean fingers, on a clean, dry face, apply small amounts of raw honey to your middle and ring fingers and gently pat on the skin where blackheads are present.

Repeat, concentrating on the chin, forehead, and nose areas, being careful to avoid the under-eye area as bruising can occur. Pat for 1–3 minutes total, not in the same area. Gently wash your face with warm water when finished.

2. Clay Blackhead Mask

Clay is a wonderful ingredient to battle blackheads, drawing out impurities and unclogging pores. Moroccan red clay comes from the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and is ideal for oily and acne-prone skin.

• 2 tablespoons Moroccan red clay
• 3 tablespoons rose water
• 1 teaspoon mashed avocado

Combine these ingredients to create a paste. Using clean fingers or a brush, apply mask to the t-zone or acne-prone areas. As soon as the mask starts to lighten (a sign it is dry), rinse with warm water.

Avoid using a metal bowl or spoon for this recipe—instead, use glass or wooden instruments to maintain the potency and effectiveness of the clay’s properties.

3. Activated Charcoal Blackhead Mask

Drawing impurities and bacteria to the skin’s surface, activated charcoal scrubs are a fantastic oil blasting recipe for blackheads. Use once or twice a week to fight blackheads and dislodge the gunk from those pesky pores.

• 2 tablespoons unscented liquid Castile soap
• 1 tablespoon almond, jojoba, apricot kernel, or vitamin E oil
• 2 tablespoons finely ground brown or white rice flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons activated charcoal powder

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In a small bowl, stir together the Castile soap and oil. Add the rice flour, baking soda, and activated charcoal powder. The mixture may bubble up a bit. Keep stirring until smooth and creamy. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

To use, splash your face with a little water, so it is damp. Take 1–2 teaspoons of the scrub and gently apply to the face with your fingertips in small, circular motions, being careful to avoid the area around the eyes.

To use as a mask, let the scrub sit on the face for a few minutes for extra oil-absorbing benefits. Rinse with lukewarm water, and pat your face dry. If the scrub becomes too dry, add a little water or almond oil, and stir again until creamy.

Digging Out Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenails are a common problem that can be painful and difficult to treat. If you have an ingrown toenail, you may have difficulty walking or wearing shoes. An ingrown toenail can be caused by shoes that rub against your toes or by an injury or infection. It can also be caused by improper nail trimming, causing the nail to grow into the skin.

Use a pair of tweezers to gently push a tiny piece of cotton or gauze into the corner of your toenail where it’s ingrown. This helps to make a space between the nail and the skin. Cut the visible nail corner or the ingrown spur away to help relieve the pressure and pain.

To treat an ingrown toenail, your doctor will numb the area around the nail with local anesthesia and remove the damaged portion of the nail using a sterile surgical instrument. The area will then be cleaned and bandaged. Sometimes it is necessary to drain any pus out of the infected area before treating it with medication to prevent more infections from developing in the future.

Regularly using a deep cleansing mask designed to control oil accumulation in your pores is crucial to keeping blackheads at bay. This mask should be applied at night once a week since the lemon juice can make skin photosensitive (caution with sun exposure, especially if you have a history of photosensitivity, as it may lead to skin hyperpigmentation).

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon clay powder
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice



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Beat the egg white until fluffy and then add in the clay and lemon juice and mix well. It will form a paste that you will apply to your t-zone area or any other areas prone to blackheads.

If it’s a bit thick, which will depend on the type of clay you use, add a 1/2 teaspoon of water. After 10 minutes, rinse with warm water. Follow with an appropriate nighttime facial oil or moisturizer. 

5. Baking Soda Blackhead Scrub

Combine the baking soda and raw milk in a bowl, and then gently scrub the areas with clogged pores and blackheads. Apply gentle pressure in a circular motion with your fingertips.

If you allow this scrub to partially dry, it becomes more of a gommage that you can gently remove in circular motions with your fingertips. Remove the excess with warm water.

• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons raw milk
• Add an activated charcoal capsule for extra cleansing power

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6. Bentonite Tea Tree Mask

Another clay that helps draw impurities out of pores is bentonite clay. Bentonite also soothes inflamed skin if you have any active breakouts. Combine bentonite clay with small amounts of water until a paste is formed, not too runny and not too thick it is difficult to spread.

Add one drop of tea tree oil and mix thoroughly. Leave on for 20 minutes and then remove with a warm washcloth. 

• 3 tablespoons bentonite clay 
• 1 drop tea tree essential oil
• water