Ingrown nails whether on the fingers or toes develop when the side of the nail starts piercing or cutting into the adjacent skin. This can gradually worsen and develop pain, swelling and infection. It is best that a podiatrist takes a look and assesses the nail and surrounding skin, as intervention may be required. Sometimes they are created because of cutting your nail badly, and other times it may be due to the nail shape, wearing tight shoes or having an injury. There are however some home remedies that you can try to manage early signs and prevent them from worsening. For minor or early problems you can try some home remedies such as bathing the toe in warm salty water twice a day and then trying to use shoes that are breathable and do not apply pressure to the toe. You can also try applying a small amount of cotton wool between the edge of the nail and skin. This acts as a barrier and like a cushion so it can help the area settle down faster. Will an ingrown toenail heal itself? It is possible that it can heal itself but the cause is due to the nail breaking the skin so it depends on how badly it is affected. With toenails you have the forces of body weight and shoes exacerbating the issue so this needs to be taken into account, and if any infection is present antibiotics will be required. If the problem is just starting you may be able to try some home remedies to stop it getting worse. What is the best treatment for