Salt water soaks are a useful part of the management of ingrown toenails. They can be used as a stand alone antiseptic treatment or used in combination with antibiotics depending on the severity of the ingrown toenail condition.

Used for:

Anyone with an ingrown toenail that has redness and swelling associated with an infection.*

Part of the post-operative care at home following ingrown toenail surgery such as a partial nail avulsion (PNA).

What you need:

• Medium sized bowl to submerge your toes and forefoot into
• Level tablespoon of table salt or sea salt
• Warm water, ideally previously boiled

How to do it:

• Pour water into a clean bowl
• Add the salt and stir until dissolved
• Soak the toe/s for 5 minutes
• Perform 2-3 times a day

*If your infection is severe or does not improve with salt water soaks, you should see your podiatrist or GP as soon as possible. In many cases, you will require removal of the offending portion of nail, stronger anti-septics, topical antibiotics and occasionally oral antibiotics.