Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are relatively easy to identify as you’ll notice redness, swelling and significant pain at the affected nail edge. The symptoms are:

• Redness
• Tenderness
• Inflammation
• Mild to severe pain on touch, even from bed sheets at night
• Bleeding where the nail has ingrown
• Yellow/clear/green discharge – this may indicate the presence of an infection

Unfortunately, ingrown toenails are often self-inflicted and it is uncommon for them to develop for no reason. Causes may include:

• A poor nail cutting technique – nails should be cut in a straight, clean line with no fraying or split edges. When nails are curved or rounded at the sides, it may encourage an ingrown toenail to develop.
• ‘Pulling’ or picking the nails as a form of trimming them – when you pull the nail instead of using suitable tools to cut them in a straight line, a jagged spicule may be left at the edge of the nail where it is ripped off. Often, this spicule is quite deep down the side of the nail where it is not visible or felt – until it starts growing and pierces the skin.
• Tight footwear – narrow, tight or ill-fitting shoes can create pressure on the sides of the toes that can push the nail into the surrounding skin
• The shape of the nail – if your nails are naturally curved, pinched, or have been previously damaged, this may also make you more vulnerable to developing an ingrown toenail.

We offer both one-off and permanent solutions for ingrown toenails – you can read about them on our ingrown toenail treatment page here.