Ingrown toenails can occur in two different ways. Either the edge of the toenail grows into the skin, or the skin grows over the toenail. When the toenail ultimately digs into the skin, it can cause pain, redness, and swelling. If left untreated, it may cause a bacterial infection to develop. Common ways to prevent ingrown toenails can include wearing properly fitting shoes and cutting the toenail straight across, but not too short. While soaking the toenail in warm salt water usually helps ingrown toenails, more severe cases, particularly infected nails, will need to be examined by a podiatrist. In these severe cases a podiatrist may need to remove the toenail border via surgery. If you become afflicted with an ingrown toenail or would like to know more, please be sure to consult with a podiatrist today.

Ingrown toenails can become painful if they are not treated properly. For more information about ingrown toenails, contact Dr. Kirk Sherris of Liberty Bay Foot & Ankle. Our doctor 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 Poulsbo, WA . We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot and ankle needs.