Although extremely common an ingrown toenail is still considered a disease of the nail. Children and adults alike can get ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails are most common in the big toe, but can occur on other nails. They start when the nail grows in the incorrect direction usually into the soft side of the nail. Eventually, the hard nail will pierce through the skin on the side as it continues to grow. Wearing tight shoes can exacerbate the problem and actually help cause ingrown toenails. For example, high heels usually have a very narrow area for the toes, and the angle of the shoe forces the foot forwards into the small space. Ingrowns can also be a result of neglecting care for the feet. As bodies age, they lose flexibility making it difficult to cut the nails on the feet. If the nail does penetrate the skin, this invites all bacteria, and fungus into the nail area and into the body. Usually, the first indication of an ingrown toenail is pain around the ingrown. It is important to remember that this pain is caused by the open wound on the toe from the nail pushing into the side. This does not mean that the ingrown was not present before the pain began. The nail area can become very swollen and inflamed from the nail pressing into the skin. Treatments for ingrown nails result in immediate relief of some of the pain. Depending on the severity of the ingrown toenail the podiatrist will either insert cotton gauze under the nail to lift it out of the side of the nail. In more severe cases the portion of the nail that has penetrated the skin will be cut off. This should be done by a professional to lower the chances of the ingrown toenail returning. Be wary of going to a nail technician in a salon, make sure all of their instruments are brand new when working on the nail to prevent getting bacteria in the wound. As mentioned in other blogs, and ingrown toenail can be a result of improper trimming of the nails.

If you suspect you have an ingrown toenail and are unable to treat the nail at home, schedule a consultation with one of our podiatrists!