Ingrown toenail

What are the symptoms of an ingrowing toenail?
All ages can be affected but it is most commonly seen in teenagers and younger adults.

What is an ingrowing toenail?

This is where a toenail cuts into the skin next to it, causing it to be become swollen and painful. Any toe can be affected but it most commonly occurs with the big toe.

All ages can be affected but it is most commonly seen in teenagers and younger adults.

There is usually no obvious cause – they simply just happen – but people who cut their toenails very short and round are more likely to suffer from them as are people who wear very tight-fitting shoes.

Nail injuries and fungal infections can also be triggers.

Symptoms include pain in the toe, swelling and redness near the ingrowing nail (often on one side of the toe), and yellow or greenish pus oozing from the nail.

If the infection spreads there may be skin redness that spreads away from the toe, and a high temperature.
What is the treatment?

If caught early, they can be treated without antibiotics. Soak the affected toe in water to soften the skin around it then, using a cotton wool bud, gently push the skin away from the ingrowing toenail.

Repeat this every day for several weeks, allowing the nail to grow out and as it does so, put a very small piece of cotton wool under it to prevent it growing back into the skin.

Change this piece of cotton wool every day. When the toenail has grown clear of the end of the toe, cut it straight across and never rounded. If infection occurs, antibiotic tablets are usually needed.

Soaking the foot in warm salty water can also help, with careful drying afterwards.
What happens if they persist?


Persistent ingrowing toenails sometimes require minor surgery so that part of the nail is removed. A local anaesthetic injection is used to numb the toe and the side of the ingrowing nail is cut right down to the base so the edge can be pulled out.

The exposed part of the nail bed is then treated with phenolic acid to help stop the nail edge regrowing, and the nail is dressed.

After the operation the nail slowly regrows but is narrower than before.
How can I prevent then happening?

Never cut nails round, always cut them straight across. Don’t cut them too short or too low at the sides, so that the corners of the nail are visible at the sides.

Try to cut them after a bath or shower when the nails have softened.

Try to wear cotton socks rather than synthetic ones and avoid tight shoes. Keep your feet exposed to the air whenever possible and always try to keep them clean and dry.

Read more: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/ingrown-toenail.htm#ixzz2EryCIPYB
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