Ingrown toenails can happen to anyone. In fact, they’re the reason that approximately one out of every five patients visit a foot doctor. An ingrown toenail occurs when your toenail’s side or corner grows down into the soft tissue of your toe.
Your ingrown toenail may produce only mild pain and discomfort. But sometimes, it progresses to an infection of the soft tissue. Vigilance regarding foot problems prevents infections. As always, prevention is the best cure, and treating a problem early keeps a problem from worsening.
What Are the Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails?
The most common symptoms are usually mild. You may misinterpret them as fatigue from standing or exercising. These symptoms include:
- Your toe skin tone becomes red or darker than normal
- Swelling of the tissue around the nail
- Pain or tenderness along the side of the nail
- Heat or pus, indicating infection on your toe
The condition can become serious. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you notice:
- The infection seems to be spreading.
- The pain becomes extreme.
- You have a medical condition that affects blood flow to your feet, such as diabetes
- You have nerve problems, such as neuropathy.
The Causes and Prevention of Ingrown Toenails?
While anyone can get an ingrown toenail, certain conditions or behaviors increase your chances. Causes include:
- An unusual curvature of your toenails
- Malformations of your foot
- An injury to your foot or toe
- Poor toenail maintenance due to cutting the nail too short or not straight across
- Consistently wearing tight or pointed shoes that crowd your toes
You can take measures to minimize ingrown toenails. Practical tips include:
- Length. Trim your nails to a medium length. Nails that are too short or too long can cause problems.
- Angle. Trim your toenails straight rather than conforming to the shape of your toe.
- Shoes. Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet. Your toes should have plenty of wiggle room.
- Inspection. If you have diabetes, closely monitor your feet for infections or ingrown toenails.
Home Remedies for Ingrown Toenails
Most of the time, you treat your ingrown toenails at home. Common remedies include:
- Taking over-the-counter pain medication to relieve the pain
- Soaking your feet in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day, to soften the tissue, reduce the swelling and ease any tenderness
- Carefully inserting a small piece of cotton or dental floss under the edge of the toenail to encourage it grow above the tender flesh
- Applying antibiotic cream to the delicate area, wrapping a bandage around it for protection
- Reconsidering your footwear to provide open-air or a wider footbed for your toes
If your nail problems continue or you have medical conditions affecting blood flow or nerve sensitivity, such as diabetes, discuss your treatment options.
Treatments
Your physician carefully examines your feet and the surrounding skin to diagnose ingrown toenails. After discussing the home remedies you tried and how your lifestyle may affect the condition, your doctor suggests one or more options:
- If you have a mild case, your podiatrist carefully lifts the nail’s edge and places a splint, some dental floss or some cotton underneath to help the nail grow above the skin. You must soak your toe and change the splint daily.
- If you’re feeling severe pain or seeing redness or pus, your doctor carefully trims or removes the section of your nail that’s grown into the skin. You need only local anesthesia for this procedure.
- If you’re bothered by ingrown toenails repeatedly, even with proper home care and treatment, your podiatrist suggests removing part of the nail using a laser, chemicals or another method. This prevents the nail from growing back in that area.
- If you have a noticeable infection with hot skin, swelling, redness and pus, your doctor recommends a topical or oral antibiotic to clear the infection and prevent it from spreading.
