One of the most common and painful problems that you can experience is an ingrown toenail.
There are many causes of ingrown toenails including:
- An injury to your toe. If you drop something on your toe or bang your toe into something the force of the injury can drive the nail down into the skin causing an ingrown toenail.
- Improper nail cutting. If you cut your nail too short by going into the nail groove a sharp edge may be left behind that catches the skin and as the nail grows, the sharp edge can catch your skin and cause an ingrown toenail.
- Changes in the shape of the nail. For some people their toenails can change shape, become more curved and start growing down into the skin.
No matter what the cause of the ingrown toenail, the result is the same, a painful toe. If left too long ingrown toenails can become infected.
It is best to have ingrown toenails treated as soon as you notice them to catch the problem before an infection develops.
Initial treatment of an ingrown toenail starts with simply removing the portion of the nail that has gone down into the skin, making sure the nail edge is straight and smooth and making sure any skin that has been damaged by the ingrown toenail is addressed. Sometimes the skin reacts to the ingrown toenail by forming a callus under the toenail. When that happens, the callus needs to be removed.
When an ingrown toenail is due to changes in the shape of the nail or the damage from the injury permanently changes the shape of the nail, or the nail has been cut improperly for too long a time, ingrown toenails will return despite the initial treatment. When an ingrown toenail becomes recurrent, a more advanced treatment is needed where the edge of the nail that is ingrown is removed permanently. Prompt attention to an ingrown toenail may help to prevent the need for permanent removal of a portion of the toenail.
If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort in your toes or around your toenails, it is best to make an appointment immediately. Call the office today to make your appointment stop walking around with pain in your feet.
