What are ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails are when the toenail begins curling inwards and starts digging into your skin. This often causes pain and limitations to your daily activities. It is recommended you see a specialist as soon as possible to avoid an infection and provide pain relief.

Causes

Ingrown toenails occur when the nail grows into the surrounding flesh of the toe causing redness, swelling and discomfort. Any toenail can become ingrown, but it’s the big toe that is most often affected. Ingrown toenails can be caused by:

Poorly cut toenail – nails should be trimmed straight across, not rounded. In other cases, a genetically wider or more curved nail causes the issue;

Tight-fitting shoes or high heels compress the toes together encouraging the nail to grow crooked;

A fungal infection can make the toenail wider and thicker causing the issue;

Any activity that damages the toenail (such as soccer or running) can also begin the process;

Heredity – nails that are naturally grown curved are more likely to be ingrown with pressure from a shoe.

Depending on the severity, ingrown toenails can be quite painful and should be treated to avoid infection or worsening pain.

Symptoms and risks

Ingrown toenails cause pain, redness and swelling at the edge of the toenail. Discomfort level can depend upon whether the nail is partially or fully growing into the skin. Pain may be severe enough to make walking or bearing weight difficult.

Ingrown toenails also often result in infection as the nail breaks the skin barrier, allowing harmful bacteria to enter. People with diabetes are at greater risk of complications from ingrown toenails. Therefore, if you have diabetes then you should contact a specialist who can treat the nail safely.

At-home care

There are ways to relieve the pain from the comfort of your own home. It is important to for ingrown toenails to be treated immediately to prevent infections. At home treatments:

Soak your foot in hot water 3-4 times a day, this will help soften the nail. It is recommended to use soap and add salt if there is an infection present. This makes it easier to uncurl the nail.

Wear comfortable shoes and avoid tight fighting shoes.

Take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

These techniques may only help relieve the pain temporarily, so it is advised to go see a specialist at Orleans Dynamic Foot Clinic to help resolve your issue.

See a specialist

If discomfort is disrupting your ability to walk or enjoy sports, see a doctor of podiatric medicine before the problem worsens. If ingrown toenails are a recurring issue, visit the Orleans Dynamic Foot Clinic for an evaluation. To treat ingrown toenails, we do a procedure called a matrixectomy. A matrixectomy is a procedure used to remove the nail with the use of chemicals.

You can book your appointment on our website or call us at (613) 424-9339. We can help identify the underlying cause and suggest preventive measures.