Ingrown Toenails
Definition
A common disorder that occurs when the edge of the toenail grows into the skin of the toe particularly on the big (great) toe. The corner of the nail curves down into the skin, often due to mis-trimming of the nail, or due to shoes that are too tight. An ingrown toenail can be painful and lead to infection.
Often you can take care of ingrown toenails on your own. If the pain is severe or spreading, however, your doctor can take steps to relieve your discomfort and help you avoid complications of an ingrown toenail.
Causes
Common causes include:
- Tight-fitting shoes or high heels cause the toes to be compressed together and pressure the nail to grow abnormally.
- Improper trimming of toenails can cause the corners of the nail to dig into the skin. Nails should be trimmed straight across, not rounded.
- Disorders such as fungal infections of the nail can cause a thickened or widened toenail to develop.
- Either an acute injury near the nail or anything that causes the nail to be damaged repetitively (such as playing soccer) can also cause an ingrown nail.
- If a member of your family has an ingrown toenail, then you are more likely to develop one, too. Some people’s nails are normally more rounded than others or the underlying bone can be more “upturned,” which increases the chance of developing ingrown nails.
Treatment and prevention
Ingrown toenails should be treated as soon as they are recognized. In many cases, people with uninfected ingrown toenails can obtain relief with the following simple regimen:
- Soak the feet in warm salt water
- Dry them thoroughly with a clean towel
- Apply a mild antiseptic solution to the area
- Bandage the toe
- Try to lift up the corner of the nail that is digging into the skin. Take a small piece of cotton or gauze and roll it between your fingers to form a small roll or wick. Then place the roll between the nail and the skin to keep it elevated. This is painful but is the most important part of home treatment. After every soaking, try to push the roll a little farther in. Change the roll out every day. It may take from seven to 15 days for the nail to grow out so that it does not poke into the skin any longer.
If excessive inflammation, swelling, pain or discharge is present, the toenail probably is infected and should be treated by a physician. A podiatrist can trim or remove the infected nail with a minor in-office surgical procedure. He or she can remove the offending portion of the nail or overgrown skin with a scalpel and treat the infection. Unless, the problem is congenital, the best way to prevent ingrown toenails is to protect the feet from trauma and wear shoes with adequate room for the toes.
Processing your request, Please wait....
