Most people have experienced an ingrown toenail once or twice in their lives. While it may be an isolated incident for some, for others, it can be a persistent problem lasting over the course of many years. Although it’s not considered a serious condition and is generally easy to treat, it can still be extremely uncomfortable. Here are tips for preventing and treating ingrown toenails:

What are Ingrown Toenails?

Ingrown toenails happen when the corner of your toenail grows into your skin. When the nail borders curve into the skin, it causes pain, redness and inflammation around the toe. While any toes can have an ingrown toenail, it most commonly occurs in the big toe. Generally, there aren’t serious complications that arise with ingrown toenails, but they can become infected, causing them to be even more painful. In extremely rare cases, the infection can spread beyond the toenail and affect the rest of your toe and even the bone.

What are the Symptoms?

The most obvious sign of ingrown toenails is the curved-inward appearance. The edges of the toenail may be hard or impossible to see since they’ve grown into your skin. Redness is usually the first indication of an ingrown toenail, and the corner where the nail is growing into your skin may be hard. Ingrown toenails are uncomfortable on their own, but can be extremely painful if they become infected. Signs of infection include swelling, pus, oozing, blood and feeling warm to the touch.

What are the Causes?

There are several causes of ingrown toenails. The most common is improperly trimming them. When you cut them too short or round off the edges, this can cause the nail to grow back into your skin. Other factors also contribute, including:

• Tight shoes and socks
• Trauma or injury to the toe
• Repeated physical activity and pressure on the toe
• Nail infections or other foot conditions
• Excess moisture or sweat

Who is at a Higher Risk?

While anyone can get an ingrown toenail, as it’s a fairly common condition, there are certain groups who are more susceptible. Adolescents often experience rapid nail growth, putting them at higher risk, and athletes or those who are active in sports that cause repeated pressure on the toe, like running or kicking, are also more likely to develop them. 

People with certain medical conditions like diabetes, poor circulation, damaged nerves in the leg or foot, or nail infections are all at a higher risk for ingrown toenails. Generally, groups with these medical conditions are encouraged to seek professional treatment from a podiatrist if they have ingrown toenails because they’re also at a higher risk for infections.

How Do You Prevent Ingrown Toenails?

Although ingrown toenails are a common condition, that doesn’t mean they’re unavoidable. There are plenty of proactive steps you can take to prevent them. The first (and most important) is to properly trim your toenails by cutting straight across and not rounding the corners. In the same respect, you should never cut a notch, tear or rip your toenails. If you have a hangnail, grab a pair of clean trimmers to clip it off—never tear. Make sure your shoes fit properly and aren’t too tight, causing pressure on your toes, or too loose, causing your feet to slide back and forth and your toes to experience repeated impact. Don’t wear sweaty or wet shoes and socks for long periods, as this softens the skin around your toes, and avoid activities that cause trauma or pressure on the toes.

Home Remedies

For the most part, ingrown toenails can be cared for at home. Understand that home remedies for ingrown toenails are meant to ease the discomfort and manage the infection, not to remove them yourself. You should never attempt to remove an ingrown toenail at home, as this can worsen the condition or the infection. Instead, focus on treatments that will alleviate the pain, such as:

• Soaking your feet in warm water with Epsom salt.
• Gently massaging the side of your nail to reduce swelling.
• Using antibiotic ointment and a bandage to keep it clean.
• Wearing open-toed footwear.
• Taking over-the-counter pain medicine.

Although you may see home remedies that suggest placing a small piece of cotton or using dental floss to lift the toenail and encourage it to grow away from the skin, these remedies are ineffective. This doesn’t alleviate the pain and, instead, can cause more bacteria to grow.

Medical Treatments

Ingrown toenails can usually be treated without surgical intervention. A podiatrist will safely trim the ingrown part of the nail and push the skin away from the nail edge. Many people attempt this at home, but it’s not recommended. Podiatrists have the right tools and sterilization techniques to do this safely without worsening the condition or causing the infection to spread.

Sometimes ingrown toenails may require a small in-office procedure. If conservative treatments aren’t working, the nail is chronically ingrown, or if the infection is severe or recurring, a minor procedure is usually recommended. A partial nail avulsion or complete nail avulsion, where part or all of the toenail is removed, is the procedure used to eliminate ingrown toenails. In some cases, after the ingrown portion is removed, the procedure is followed by an ablation, where the nail-growing tissue is destroyed to prevent the nail from growing back into the skin.

Although preventable, ingrown toenails are very common and can happen to anyone. If you’re dealing with a stubborn ingrown toenail, especially if it’s infected, the Irving podiatrists at North Texas Foot & Ankle are here to help. Schedule an appointment today by calling us at (214) 574-9255 or contacting us online.