When the side of the toenail digs into the skin adjacent to the nail, it is known as an ingrown toenail (or onychocryptosis). The skin may become inflamed and infected, which can cause pain. While it can affect the other toes, it usually affects the big toe. Although ingrown toenails can happen to anyone at any age, teens and young adults are the most likely to experience this issue. Narrow-fitting shoes, improper nail cutting technique, and a nail with naturally curved edges rather than a flat nail are some of the causes of ingrown toenails.
An ingrown toenail can cause pain, redness, swelling, and even pus if it is infected.
The first step in treating an ingrown nail is:
Antibiotics are frequently prescribed by doctors to treat infected toenails, but treating the infection is ineffective if the underlying cause—the ingrown nail—remains.
The nail spike or nail corner that has penetrated the skin can be easily removed by a podiatrist, with little to no discomfort. This may require the use of a local anaesthetic if the ingrown nail is extremely painful. The infection will probably continue unless the part of the nail that is causing the ingrown toe nail is removed.
Following the initial treatment of the ingrown toenail. Unfortunately, depending on the severity of your ingrown toenail, it may not always be possible to remove it due to pain, the stage of the ingrown nail, and the ability to cut the troublesome nail away.
If the first step doesn’t work, your podiatrist will suggest nail surgery
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