Ingrown toenails typically affect the big toe but can happen to any of your toenails. People with curved or thick nails tend to be the most susceptible to ingrown toenails although anyone who is guilty of wearing poorly fitted shoes, poor foot hygiene, or recent injury can all become affected with an ingrown toenails. If you suffer from diabetes you need to be especially aggressive with ingrown toenails because they can cause serious complications including loss of limb!

A damaged nail or a nail that has been improperly trimmed can become ingrown, burrowing itself into the skin of the affected toe. The area can become painful and infected and may not heal until the nail is completely removed. To avoid ingrown toenails always remember to trim the nail straight across.

Ingrown toenails are more frequent when cutting your nails in a rounded form. But they can easily be obtained from wearing ill fitted shoes and tight socks or hosiery. They are also very common after an injury or trauma to the nail. They can be hereditary so nail removal surgery may be best if this is a common problem. If the ingrown toenail becomes infected and nothing is done to treat it, it may cause an overgrowth of tissue which can lead to permanent changes in the tissue that can lead to more infections and swelling.