Ingrown Toenails:

Improper Trimming Can Lead to a Painful Ingrown Toenail

Many FootSmart consumers often ask questions about how to treat ingrown toenails. Here is our answer:

If you can pack a small piece of cotton under the edge of the toenail and get the nail to grow over the cotton and beyond the flesh, you can solve the problem of your ingrown toenail. But, typically, after long standing ingrown toenails, with infection and lots of pain, you probably need a minor surgical procedure performed. The procedure for ingrown toenails is done in the office under local anesthesia. You should consult an ABPS board certified podiatrist who is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association for a consultation on this ingrown toenail procedure.

Remember: The key to preventing ingrown toenails is proper cutting of the nails straight across. FootSmart sells a variety of tools, such as   clippers and nippers, to help you cut your nails properly.

Did you know that improperly trimming your toenails can lead to a painful ingrown toenail? Most ingrown toenails develop when individuals cut their nails and leave the nail plate too far from its proper edge. When the nail starts to grown back, the edge of the nail can grow directly into the surrounding tissue of the toe, leading to a painful ingrown toenail. The tender skin exposed becomes inflamed, and pressure on the toe from shoes becomes painful when you have an ingrown toenail, so it's important to find relief fast.

Aside from poor toenail trimming, other causes of an ingrown toenail can include:

• Shoes, usually ones that don't fit your feet properly, can often put pressure on the inside edge of the big toe, leading to an ingrown toenail.
• Injury, such as stubbing a toe or having a toe stepped on, can lead to the development of ingrown toenails.
• Running and the accompanying pounding and pressure on toes from shoes that are too short can also cause an ingrown toenail.
• Finally, even something as simple as bed sheets tucked in too tightly around your toes can contribute to the development - or inflame - an ingrown toenail.

How to Know if You Have an Ingrown Toenail

You can first spot an ingrown toenail directly after trimming your toenails. If the toenail looks like it has been cut back too far, exposing the pink tissue around the edge, you may have an ingrown toenail. Over time, you may develop a feeling of discomfort and tenderness, and the tissue around the edge may become red and swollen. As the ingrown toenail continues to grow into the surrounding tissue, pain becomes more pronounced, making walking and even sitting difficult.

People suffering from an ingrown toenail may also notice the following:

• When you have an ingrown toenail, the nail will not "grow out" on its own to correct the situation.
• Trimming the nail back as it grows becomes difficult and painful when you're suffering from ingrown toenails.
• If you have an ingrown toenail, you may feel intense soreness where shoes and socks make contact with the infected ingrown toenail area.

Relieve Your Ingrown Toenail Discomfort and Prevent Infection

People can often make an ingrown toenail worse in an attempt to make it better. As the ingrown toenail begins to cut into the skin, people try to correct the situation by cutting away the extended nail; yet this only exacerbates the situation, leading to even deeper imbedding of the ingrown toenail into the tender flesh. "Bathroom surgery" is definitely not the way to correct an ingrown toenail.

The simplest way to eliminate an ingrown toenail is to take extra care when cutting your toenails. Pay attention to the natural line of the nail, and trim the nail straight across.

Also try following these suggestions to take care of an ingrown toenail, or to avoid developing an ingrown toenail in the future:

• Using a proper toenail clipper is crucial if you want to avoid developing an ingrown toenail.
• When cutting your nail, remember that digging down into the corners of the nail can lead to an ingrown toenail, so you want to avoid that practice at all costs.
• Your footwear also matters when it comes to preventing ingrown toenails. Remember to wear appropriate fitting shoes with plenty of room in the toe box if you want to make sure you don't develop an ingrown toenail. 
  • This tip is also especially important if you already have an ingrown toenail, since a tight toe box can make ingrown toenail problems worse.
• If you already have an ingrown toenail, try soaking the affected feet to keep them clean and antiseptic. You can also apply a mild antiseptic to make sure your ingrown toenail does not get infected and cause more pain.

If you continue to develop an ingrown toenail, see a podiatrist to have the offending edges removed.

Information on foot, leg and lower body health conditions like ingrown toenails provided by The Podiatry Institute, dedicated to advancing the standard of care in podiatric medicine and its effects on muscoskeletal health.