Ingrown toenails can feel scary and painful when you have them. When your child has them, they can be even more worrisome. While ingrown toenails are no joke, they are a common condition that can be treated. It is important for parents to understand that children are often at increased risk of developing ingrown toenails so that they can know how to avoid and manage them for their kids.

Ingrown toenails develop when the nail starts to grow into the skin of the toe. This is most common when the toe is exposed to high pressure. Pressure on the toe pushes the skin of the toe against the nail, which facilitates the nail beginning to grow into the skin. Children are at an increased risk of pressure on the toe for a few reasons. First of all, children’s feet are often growing at rapid rates. When a child’s foot outgrows his shoe, the tightness of the shoe will press on the toe. This will increase pressure on the toe whenever the ill-fitting shoes are worn, which could greatly increase the chance of an ingrown toenail. To avoid this, make sure that your children’s shoes are always well-fitting for their current foot size.

The other risk posed to children is tied to their activity level. Children are often very active and participate in sports or other high impact physical activities. Things like running, jumping, and walking can cause the shoe to press up against the toes. This is another way that pressure on the toes is increased, facilitating the development of an ingrown toenail. Wearing proper footwear with plenty of room at the toes is the best way to combat this. If you or your child has an ingrown toenail, you should seek out treatment with a licensed podiatrist. To schedule a consultation with a podiatrist, give us a call at (424)-299-4627 or visit our website for more information.