Ingrown Toenail Treatment

What Is an Ingrown Toenail?

An ingrown toenail occurs when the side of the nail curls down and grows into the skin around the nail. Any toe can be affected but it commonly occurs in the big toe.

Who Is at Risk of Ingrown Toenail?

While anyone can suffer from Ingrown toenails, people at elevated risk include patients with:

 

  • An abnormal gait and poor foot mechanics such as pronation.
  • Foot or toe deformities, such as bunions, hammertoes, and flat foot.
  • Arthritic, Obese or Diabetic diseases.
  • Athletes, particularly those playing stop and start sports such as tennis, soccer, and basketball.

 

What Is the Impact of Ingrown Toenail?

An Ingrown Toenail can impact you by:
  • Causing pain and discomfort
  • Becoming inflamed (tender, red and swollen)
  • Becoming infected

Causes of Ingrown Toenail

The causes of Ingrowing Toenails can vary, but typically they are related to:
  • Tight-fitting shoes, socks, or tights that crowd your toes, putting pressure on your toenails
  • Poor toenail clipping, such as cutting your toenails too short or not straight across
  • Toe injuries such as a stubbed toe
  • Poor Foot Hygiene
  • Picking or tearing the corners of your toenails
  • Fungus infection of the nails (onychomycosis)
  • Sweaty feet, making your skin soft and easier for toenails to dig in
  • Toenails with naturally curved edges or that are fan-shaped

Symptoms of Ingrown Toenail

The most common symptoms of Ingrown Toenail include:
  • Pain and tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail
  • Redness around your toenail
  • Swelling of your toe around the nail
  • Infection of the tissue around your toenail

Stages of Ingrown Toenail

  1.  Early Stage Ingrown Toenail.
  2. Infection Stage Ingrown Toenail.
  3. Chronic Stage Ingrown Toenail.
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