Ingrown Toenails

There are many possible causes for ingrown toenails, such as improper cutting of toenails (either it’s cut too short or it’s not cut straight), an injury or infection to the nail, having naturally curved toenails, and wearing shoes that crowd your toes or press against your toenails. Some people may also have a genetic predisposition for developing ingrown toenails.

Yes, you absolutely can. You can avoid this condition if you: wear shoes that fit well but not too tightly, trim your nails straight across at a length to the tip of your toes, and wear protective footwear in high-risk situations. If you have diabetes, it is strongly recommended that you check your feet every day, so you can catch any potential problems at its earliest and most treatable stage.

Yes, you can, as long as you have a mild case and your toe is not infected. You can try the following methods to relieve your symptoms:

• Wear open-toed shoes or protective footwear to give your affected toe some space until it feels better.

• Apply petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment on the affected toe and bandage it.

• Soak your feet in warm, soapy water (or warm water with Epsom salt) for 10 to 20 minutes at least once a day until your toe feels better. After soaking, you can place waxed dental floss under the ingrown edge of the nail to redirect its growth away from the flesh of your toe. If this part is too painful, it’s fine to skip this step.

• Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (also with anti-inflammatory effects) or acetaminophen. While this does nothing to actually correct the ingrown toenail, this is a very good pain relief option while your toe is undergoing home treatment.

DO NOT attempt to cut the ingrown toenail, pick at the affected toe or nail, or wear tight shoes until your condition is fully resolved.

If you are already diagnosed with certain medical conditions such as diabetes, poor circulation, or nerve damage in the foot, you should to see a doctor right away. Attempting home treatment is not advisable under these circumstances. Call your doctor if: dedicated home treatment has not improved your symptoms, your toe is showing signs of infection (intense pain and swelling, redness or darkening, appearance of pus), and you have a fever or are experiencing chills.

If the toenail is allowed to continue its dysfunctional growth into the flesh or nail bed, it can become infected and lead to more serious problems, even for healthy people. An infection that starts with the toe has the potential to spread to the bone if left untreated. Patients with diabetes are especially vulnerable to developing dangerous complications like gangrene.

Most cases of ingrown toenails can be treated with minimally invasive procedures, which involve the gentle lifting of the ingrown nail away from the skin and correcting its growth path. More severe cases may require minor surgery, which entail the partial removal of the nail, and occasionally the corresponding portion of the underlying nail bed

Sometimes, good lifestyle habits (correct nail trimming, wearing properly fitting shoes, etc) aren’t enough to prevent ingrown toenails from recurring. Injury-causing accidents do happen despite the best precautions, and heredity may play a role in your susceptibility to developing ingrown toenails. If this is the case, then removal of the underlying section of nail bed along with the ingrown portion of the nail may be recommended for a more long term solution.