What are
Ingrown Toenails?
An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of the nail grows into the skin beside the nail. The ingrowing irritates the skin causing pain and, at times, infection. While any of your toenails have the potential to become ingrown, the problem is most common with the big toe.
Ingrown toenails happen to men and women of all ages. People are at a higher risk of experiencing ingrown toenails if their nails are not well groomed, are thickened, and in cases of wearing ill-fitting shoes.
Causes of
Ingrown Toenails
There are many causes of ingrown toenails which include:
Cutting the Toenails Incorrectly
Your nails should remain well-groomed with a clean, sharp nail trimmer. Tapering or rounding the corners of the nail or cutting the nail too short may encourage the nail to grow into the skin.
Having Naturally Irregular, Curved Toenails
Curved toenails tend to ingrow.
Ill-Fitting Shoes
Footwear that places a lot of pressure on the toes can cause the nail to ingrow. This includes socks and shoes that are too tight, too narrow, or too flat for your feet. Any shoe that crowds your toes can cause ingrown toenails.
Injury to the Toe and the Nail
Stubbing your toe, dropping something heavy on your foot, or kicking a ball repeatedly can cause the nail trauma forcing the nail to grow into the skin.
Poor Foot Hygiene
Your feet should be cleaned every day and kept dry as much as possible. Increased sweating, dirt, and sock lint can cause nail to become infected and ingrow.
Heredity
For some the tendency for ingrown toenails to develop is inherited. This is typically related to foot type or foot structure.
Participating in Athletic Activities That Use Your Feet Extensively
If you put pressure on your nails for long periods of time, it can cause toenail damage. Activities like ballet, football, boxing, and soccer are some examples of activities that could cause this damage, increasing your risk.
What is
Ingrown Toenails?
Symptoms of
Ingrown Toenails
Symptoms of ingrown toenails typically come in stages as it progresses. Some symptoms include:
- The skin around the nail becomes tender, swollen, or hard
- Pain when pressure is applied to the toe or nail plate
- Fluid or edema around the toe
- Infection resulting in red, hot, painful, swollen skin
- Bleeding or drainage from the toenail
- An overgrowth of skin around the toe near the ingrown toenail
Diagnosis
Diagnosing ingrown toenails is relatively easy and treatment will provide instant relief. Clinical examination of the nail and surrounding skin following a history of the symptoms is likely enough for diagnosis. At times, x-rays are taken to determine any underlying bony pathology.
Nonsurgical Treatment of
Ingrown Toenails
If your ingrown toenail shows signs of infection or refuses to resolve on its own various treatment options are available. Most procedures are provided in the clinic. In some cases, surgical operating room procedures may be required.
Surgical Treatment
If your ingrown toenail shows signs of infection or refuses to resolve on its own various treatment options are available. Most procedures are provided in the clinic. In some cases, surgical operating room procedures may be required.
Treating Ingrown Toenails
There are three main methods that doctors use to treat ingrown toenails.
Training the Nail
For mild cases, your doctor might simply instruct you to pull the skin from the edge of the nail when your foot is warm. This will retrain the nail to grow along the nail fold.
Partial Removal of the Nail
For more severe ingrown toenails, your doctor might trim or remove the portion of the nail that is ingrown. This approach is effective for immediate pain relief.
Removal of the Nail and Tissue
If the problem happens repeatedly on the same toe, your doctor might remove a part of the nail and the nail bed. This could prevent that portion of your nail from growing back.
Care for Ingrown Toenails at Keir Foot & Ankle Specialists
If you begin experiencing inflammation, swelling, pain, or discharge due to an ingrown toenail, make an appointment with us. We have helped many patients in Chicago, Blue Island, Oak Lawn, and Evergreen Park who trust our foot and ankle experts to provide top-quality care when they experience ingrown toenails.