infected
so i accidentally made a huge mistake and got a bit too trimmer-happy trimming my big toe nail and cut it too short, and it became ingrown i am pretty sure. but it is not ingrown in the way i have seen where the nail looks like a c-shape from the tip of toe view, it looks like swollen skin grew over it. i think it is infected because it is red and has a bit of pus. the pain and swelling have honestly gotten much better over the past 72 hours, though, i mean it was throbbing at one point. i have been cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and an alcohol prep pad followed by antibacterial otc ointment, and i have noticed some improvement in swelling/pain/pus/redness. i mean the peak of the infection wa honestly not that bad at all, definitely minor compared to what i have seen on this sub (so sorry for what some of y;all have had to endure). anyways, what i am trying to get at is, if i keep up vigilant at-home care should this heal on its own? the infection and the ingrown? my research has all pointed me to visit urgent care/podiatrist, but it is honestly not that bad (only hurts if i bump it/press on it). i'm not really comfortable with attaching a pic of my toe, so i have tried to be as detailed as. possible.
the pic attached is one i found online, i feel like i'm maybe at like a stage 2.4 just because i do have the slightest bit of pus, but it is not that red or swollen.
tl;dr : I have a pretty minor infection, will the ingrown and infection heal without doctor with vigilant care?
EDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/Ingrown_Toenails/comments/1uahi74/4_years_of_pain/
i'd say mine looks like this user's ingrown. from what i gathered, this user started getting chronic ingrowns after a surgery and did not visit a doctor until they got tired of the recurring issues. like i said, mine was he result of cutting toe nail way too short. hope this can be helpful.