Ingrown toenail

An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of the nail grows down and into the skin of the toe. There may be pain, redness, and swelling around the nail. The first toe is usually affected, but any toenail can become ingrown.

Causes

An ingrown toenail can result from a number of things, but poorly fitting shoes and toenails that are not trimmed properly are the most common causes.

When your toenails are trimmed too short or the edges are rounded rather than cut straight across, the nail may grow into the skin.

Treatment

Do not try to cut out the ingrown portion of the nail yourself. This will only make the problem worse.

Consider wearing sandals or Crocs until the nail has improved.

If your ingrown nail does not heal or keeps coming back, your doctor may remove part of the nail and its root. Numbing medicine is first injected into the toe. Using laser, the edge of the nail where the skin is growing over is removed, and the root of the nail is treated to prevent re-growth of the outside edge of the nail. This is called partial matrixectomy. The healing time is 1 month, during which time no swimming is allowed.

Adapted from Pubmed Health

The information above is a partial and general information and cannot replace the needed specific medical examination and consultation