When a toenail grows into the skin beside it, it's called an ingrown toenail. This usually happens with the big toe. Ingrown toenails can happen to anyone, but they're more common in older adults because toenails get thicker with age, and it's harder for seniors to cut them correctly.
Causes of Ingrown Toenails
Improperly cutting your toenails is the main reason why ingrown toenails happen to people of any age. It's crucial to trim your toenails in a straight line, not curved, and not too close to the skin. Doing this helps the nail grow properly instead of digging into your skin.
Other causes including:
- Genetics
- Nturally curved irregular toenails
- Toenail injuries
- Shoes, socks, or stockings that put pressure on the toes or are too narrow/tight
- Physical activities or sports that involve repetitive kicking or constant pressure on the toes.
Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails
In the beginning, ingrown toenails can be really painful. They make the skin around the nail swell up, get tough, turn red, and feel sore. Sometimes, fluid might build up around the toe. If you don't take care of an ingrown toenail, it can get infected and cause even worse problems, like:
- More intense pain, redness, and swelling
- Bleeding
- Oozing pus
- Odor
- Skin that becomes overgrown surrounding the toe
- Warmth around the affected toe
Treatment Options for Ingrown Toenails
A small ingrown toenail might get better on its own. But if it's really hurting, infected, or if you have diabetes or circulation problems, it's best to see a foot doctor called a podiatrist. They can help ease the pain and swelling using different methods, prescribe medicine to clear up any infection, and help the nail grow normally again. Treatment depends on how bad it is, any other health issues you have, and if there's an infection.
- Lifting the nail. If your nail is just a little ingrown, you can carefully lift it away from the skin to ease the pressure. Then, you can place a small piece of cotton or a splint under the nail to keep it in place and help it grow back correctly.
- Partial removal of the nail. If the problem gets worse and there's pus, severe pain, or a lot of redness, the foot doctor might recommend taking out the part of the nail that's causing the trouble.
- Full removal of nail and surround tissue. If the problem keeps coming back, the podiatrist might suggest removing the problematic nail and the tissue underneath it.
If you've got a painful ingrown toenail that isn't getting better fast, especially if you have diabetes or circulation problems, it's important to see a podiatrist for professional treatment.
