Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail is a condition in which the edges of the nail grow into the surrounding skin.

An ingrown nail can result when a deformed toenail grows improperly into the skin or when the skin around the nail grows abnormally fast and engulfs part of the nail. Wearing narrow, ill-fitting shoes and trimming the nail into a curve with short edges rather than trimming it straight across can cause or worsen ingrown toenails.

Ingrown nails may produce no symptoms at first but eventually may become painful, especially when pressure is applied to the ingrown area. The area is usually red and may be warm; if not treated, it is prone to infection. If infected, the area becomes painful, red, and swollen, and pus-filled blisters (paronychia) may develop and drain.

Mildly ingrown toenails can be trimmed away, the free edge gently lifted, and sterile cotton placed under the nail until the swelling goes away. If an ingrown nail requires medical attention, a doctor usually numbs the area with a local anesthetic (eg, lidocaine), then cuts away and removes the ingrown section of nail. The inflammation can then subside, and the ingrown nail usually does not recur.