Foot Facts: Ingrown Toenails

 

An ingrown toenail is a common condition in which the edge of a toenail grows into the soft flesh of that toe. The result is pain, redness, swelling and, sometimes, an infection. An ingrown toenail usually affects your big toe.

 

Symptoms:

• Extreme pain in the edges of the nail bed

• Redness and swelling at the edges of toes

• Acute burning sensation in toes

 

Caused By:

• Pressure on tops or sides of toes

• Wearing shoes that crowd your toenails

• Cutting your toenails too short or not straight across

• Injury to your toenail

• Unusually curved toenails

• Squeezing and limiting mobility of the big toe

 

Recommendations:

• Seek medical help to cut back toe nails

• Proper nonbinding footwear

• Warm foot soaks

• Do not attempt to do bathroom surgery on your own! You can further damage the nail bed and risk infection!

 

Complications:

• Left untreated or undetected, an ingrown toenail can infect the underlying bone and lead to a serious bone infection.