Questions and Answers About Ingrown Toenails

What’s an ingrown toenail?
With a normal toenail, the nail plate grows up and out beyond the end of the toe. In contrast, an ingrown toenail grows downward and the nail fold, or the frame of the nail, digs into the surrounding soft tissue of the toe.
Who gets ingrown toenails?
For some, the tendency to have ingrown toenails is genetic. Others may get an ingrown toenail as a result of a traumatic injury, pressure from anatomical problems such as a bunion, or tight-fitting shoes. Still, others aren’t trimming their nails properly.
How do you know you have an ingrown toenail?
Symptoms include redness around the toenail, a swollen toe near the nail plate, pain and tenderness on one or both sides of the nail, and, in advanced cases, signs of infection such as oozing or pus.
Can you treat one at home?
If you don’t have diabetes and your ingrown toenail is mild, you can treat it at home by soaking it in warm water with Epsom salts once or twice a day. Severe redness and swelling may require a visit to the podiatrist. If you have diabetes, definitely make an appointment; do not try to treat an ingrown toenail at home.
How can you prevent it?
The best way to avoid an ingrown toenail is to follow these two rules when cutting your toenails: don’t cut them too short and cut them straight across. Cutting them on a curve encourages them to keep curving into the fleshy part of your toe as they grow. In addition to proper trimming, avoid pressure from shoes with narrow toe boxes.
Our experienced podiatric surgeons, Dr. Craig B. Frey and Dr. Megan L. Oltmann have safe, effective treatments for ingrown toenails that cause you constant pain. Call Foot & Ankle Associates of Cleveland in Solon, Ohio at (440) 903-1041 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. We offer a modern office with the latest technology for podiatric patients in Portage, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Summit Counties, proudly serving our patients from Solon, Aurora, Bedford, Chagrin Falls, Hudson, Macedonia, and Twinsburg.