What is an Ingrown Toenail?
An ingrown toenail occurs when the corner of your toenail grows downward into the adjacent skin, digging painfully into the soft tissue. This condition can affect any toe, but the big toe is most often affected. Generally, ingrown toenails aren’t a serious medical problem and usually resolve with simple home remedies like soaking the foot in room-temperature water.
However, ingrown toenails can become infected. If you have diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, or another condition that causes poor circulation, you should seek professional treatment for an ingrown toenail as soon as possible.
Anyone can get an ingrown toenail. But your risk of developing complications from an ingrown toenail is higher if you have certain medical conditions, such as:
- Diabetes
- Poor blood circulation
- Nerve damage in the leg or foot (neuropathy)
What Causes Ingrown Toenails?
Trimming your nails too short is the most common cause of ingrown toenails. When the nail is too short or rounded at the edges, the skin next to your nail may fold over it. It’s important to trim your toenails straight across. Other causes of ingrown toenails include wearing shoes that crowd your toes and injuries, such as stubbing your toe.
How Do You treat Ingrown Toenails?
Family Foot & Ankle Physicians carefully evaluate your foot and create a care plan that may include a prescription for topical or oral medication. Your podiatrist may also place a splint under the nail to help it grow away from the skin to relieve discomfort.
If ingrown toenails are a chronic problem, your Family Foot & Ankle Physicians provider may perform a procedure to partially or completely remove the nail. Depending on your needs, they may use a chemical, laser, or other methods. For expert management of ingrown toenails, call Family Foot & Ankle Physicians or book an appointment online today.
Family Foot & Ankle Physicians has a primary location in Greenville, servicing cities such as Greenville, Farmville, Ahoskie, Kinston, Winterville, Tarboro, New Bern, Edenton, Washington, Rocky Mount, with patients coming from throughout eastern North Carolina and beyond. To request your appointment, call our Greenville office today, talk to your doctor about a referral or use the online booking tool to schedule your visit.