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Ingrown toenails are a common yet not-so-talked-about problem. Living with an ingrown toenail can be extremely painful, it is a condition in which the sides of the nails outgrow and extend to the skin causing discomfort, inflammation, pain, and if not treated can cause infection.
While one can be affected on any of the toes, an ingrown nail is mostly observed in the big toe. These ingrown nails are not a serious health concern and can be treated at home if it is not too big or if you do not have any underlying health conditions.
In this article, we will discuss more about ingrown toenails, its causes, symptoms, and the possible treatments related to it.
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What are the causes of Ingrown Toenails?
The formation of ingrown nails can depend on various factors. It could depend on the way you cut your nails, the type of shoes you are wearing, or an injury to the toe.
If your toes are cut incorrectly that is cutting them too short later on the nail may grow into your skin. Further, wearing shoes that are too tight for you or socks that put pressure on your toe can also cause it.
Other reasons behind ingrown nails in the toe could be due to poor hygiene in the foot and external injuries like stubbing your toe, kicking a ball, or dropping something heavy on your toes.
Moreover, if you regularly take part in sports that include your toes extensively then the chances of getting an ingrown nail increase. Activities like football or ballet can cause it.
Symptoms of ingrown toenails
The symptoms of ingrown nails can occur in stages where the early symptoms of the same can be swelling or hardness in the ingrown area that is the side of the nail. On pressing the affected area pain can be experienced and with time there can also be a build-up of fluid in it.
If left untreated for a long time it may turn into an infection causing redness, bleeding, pus formation, and swelling. Thus it is better to treat the nail before it gets worse and gets infected.
Treatment for ingrown toenails
Treatment related to it can depend upon the severity of your toes. If it is not an infection then it could be treated at home only. Treatments at home include soaking your feet in warm water mixed with salt. Lifting the edge of the nail gently and keeping a dental floss or a small piece of cotton in between the skin and nail.
This will allow the nail to grow outside the skin, one should note that the cotton should be replaced to avoid the chances of an infection. One may use antibiotic cream for it to heal and painkillers for relief from pain.
After trying the home treatments if the pain persists then it is better to get surgical treatment which may include total nail removal or partial nail removal.
An ingrown toenails can cause trouble if they are left untreated as it can cause infections in the bone or ulcers in the foot. Diabetics are more prone to complications so it is better to get medical attention as soon as possible.
The growth of ingrown nails can be prevented by simple lifestyle changes which include maintaining foot hygiene, soaking nails in warm water before cutting them, not tearing the nails, and wearing properly fitted shoes.
Ingrown toenails can be a common problem and may cause complications if not treated at an earlier stage. Thus, recognizing the symptoms and treating them accordingly can help with it.
