Ingrown Toenail

Prevention

Reduce your risk.

While some individuals are susceptible to ingrown toenails because of genetic factors, most individuals can reduce their risk of developing ingrown toenails by practicing preventative measures.These include:

• Protecting the feet from sources of trauma. Be observant of your surroundings. Avoid accidental toe injuries, such as your toe getting stubbed or stepped on.
• Investing in appropriate footwear. Continually wearing tight shoes is the most common cause of ingrown toenails. Wear shoes that leave adequate room for the toes to move to prevent unnecessary applied pressure to the toenails and the base of the foot. Plus, always wear socks with closed-toe shoes, especially sneakers, to reduce the friction produced by the shoe to bare skin contact.
• Taking proper care of your feet and toes. Put an emphasis on keeping your feet clean and dry at all times. Make it a habit to cut your toenails straight across with a sanitary, sharp nail trimmer, and do it often. Steer clear of tapering or rounding the corners of the nail and avoid cutting the nail shorter than the edge of the toe.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to prevent genetic factors. If a toenail is congenitally larger than its associated toe, there is a highly increased risk that an ingrown toenail will develop.

Symptoms

Pinpoint your pain.

As the condition progresses, so do the symptoms.Early symptoms include:

• Tender, swollen or hard skin surrounding the toenail
• Pain when applying pressure to the affected toe
• Fluid build-up around the disturbed toe

A progressed condition typically indicates an infection, with symptoms including:

• Red, swollen skin
• Pain
• Bleeding
• Oozing Pus
• Overgrowth of skin around the toe

Diagnosis

Get the answers you need.

Our physicians expertly diagnose and treat podiatric problems. Our specialists will physically examine the affected toe, and possibly perform X-rays to determine the depth of the nail under the skin and the severity of the condition.

Treatment

Life’s too short to put up with pain.

If the toenail has pierced the skin, any sign of infection develops, or if you have diabetes or another medical condition that causes poor circulation and puts your feet at an increased risk for future injury or infection, consult our team right away. Our surgeons will examine the affected area and select the treatment best suited for your particular condition. Whether we perform minimally invasive surgery to fix the toenail or execute other tactics for pain relief, our team skillfully treats ingrown toenails, taking our every precaution to avoid harming the nail bed.