Possible Causes of Ingrown Toenails

Many children may experience the pain of an ingrown toenail and be unaware of what the condition is. Some of the symptoms may be a liquid oozing from the nail, redness, or severe tenderness. It is typically the result of the toenail being trimmed too short or incorrectly, and may develop quickly. If this condition is not treated promptly, a painful and serious infection may develop. Other people may experience this ailment occurring from wearing shoes that are too tight, an object falling on the toe, which may cause a severe injury, or an activity that is repeated such as kicking a soccer ball. For severe ingrown toenails, surgery may be necessary to remove a portion of the nail. If you have an ingrown toenail, please speak with a podiatrist who can implement the proper treatment methods.

Ingrown toenails can become painful if they are not treated properly. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact one of our podiatrists of Canonsburg Podiatry Associates. Our doctors can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet.

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when a toenail grows sideways into the bed of the nail, causing pain, swelling, and possibly infection.

Causes

• Bacterial infections
• Improper nail cutting such as cutting it too short or not straight across
• Trauma to the toe, such as stubbing, which causes the nail to grow back irregularly
• Ill-fitting shoes that bunch the toes too close together
• Genetic predisposition

Prevention

Because ingrown toenails are not something found outside of shoe-wearing cultures, going barefoot as often as possible will decrease the likeliness of developing ingrown toenails. Wearing proper fitting shoes and using proper cutting techniques will also help decrease your risk of developing ingrown toenails.

Treatment

Ingrown toenails are a very treatable foot condition. In minor cases, soaking the affected area in salt or antibacterial soaps will not only help with the ingrown nail itself, but also help prevent any infections from occurring. In more severe cases, surgery is an option. In either case, speaking to your podiatrist about this condition will help you get a better understanding of specific treatment options that are right for you.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office located in Canonsburg and McMurray, PA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.