Ingrown toenails are a common condition where the nail grows into the soft flesh of the toe, causing pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes infection.
Generally, you can take care of ingrown toenails on your own. However, if the pain is severe or spreads, your doctor may take steps to relieve your discomfort and help you avoid complications with your ingrown toenail.
If you have diabetes or another condition that reduces blood circulation to your feet, you are at a higher risk of complications with ingrown toenails.
Symptoms
The symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:
- Pain and sensitivity on one or both sides of the toenail
- Redness around the toenail
- Swelling around the toenail
- Infection of the tissue surrounding the toenail
Causes
Common causes of ingrown toenails include:
- Wearing shoes that cause your toenails to be too cramped
- Cutting toenails too short or at an angle
- Injuring the toenail
- Having very curved nails
Prevention
- To help prevent an ingrown toenail, do the following:
- Cut your toenails straight across. Do not cut them curved to match the shape of the tip of your toe.
- Keep your toenails at a moderate length. Cut your toenails so that they are level with the tips of your toes. Cutting them too short can cause the pressure of shoes to force the nail to grow into the tissue.
- Wear properly fitting shoes. Shoes that are too tight or put too much pressure on your toes can cause the nail to grow into the surrounding tissue.
- Wear protective footwear. If your job puts you at risk of injuring your feet, wear protective shoes, such as steel-toed boots.
- Inspect your feet. If you have diabetes, inspect your feet daily for signs of ingrown nails or other foot problems.
Treatment
If home remedies haven’t helped improve your ingrown toenail, your doctor may recommend the following:
- Lifting the nail. For a slightly ingrown nail (with redness and pain but no pus), your doctor may carefully separate the edge of the nail and place cotton, dental floss, or a splint underneath it. This separates the nail from the skin covering it and helps the nail grow above the edge of the skin. At home, you will need to rehydrate the toe and replace the material daily.
- Partial nail removal. For a more severe ingrown nail (with redness, pain, and pus), your doctor may trim or remove the ingrown portion of the nail. Before this procedure, your doctor may numb the toe by injecting it with anesthesia.
- Partial nail and tissue removal. If you experience this problem repeatedly with the same toe, your doctor may suggest removing part of the nail along with the underlying tissue (nail base). This procedure may prevent that part of the nail from growing back. Your doctor will use a chemical, laser, or other method.
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