Ingrown toenails.

Date: Mon, 8 Jul 1996 10:48:46 +0200
Sender: HERB.TREARNPC.EGE.EDU.TR
From: Gerrit Saaltink <gerrit.SCO.EDUC.UVA.NL>
Subject: Re: Ingrown toenails

> My family seems to suffer from these with incredible regularity. Outside of surgery, we all seem to deal with antibiotics on a regular basis. Any other ideas out there?

I have read a book of a therapeut who reads toes. He relates ingrown toenails with difficulty in uttering agression. Very often very friendly people, always smiling. But if you feel agressive about something and don't utter it, the agression can harm yourself. Think of animals and the function of nails.

Therapy? Don't let people walk over you. Let them respect your limits. Herbs? the liverherbs.

Gerrit Saaltink, fytotherapeut, Amsterdam

From: Terry AE King <terryk.JUNO.COM>

I would say that if your whole family is suffering from ingrown toenails that perhaps it is the way the nails are being cut. I had them from time to time but never infected. I was once told that if you cut the nail straight across with tip of the toe that this would prevent them and it seems to. If you have an ingrown nail cut it so that the sides are slightly higher than the middle of the nail and do not cut to the quick! I also periodically remove the accumulation of dead tissue under the corners of the nail. I would also look at foot wear. Are shoes pointy and too tight?

You could take echinacea and garlic to boost the immune system and make a poultice of garlic and thyme with a few granules of cayenne and apply to infected toe. I find these simple culinary herbs very potent healers.