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An ingrown toenail can be painful!  If left untreated, it can lead to significant pain which may force you to change the way you walk to protect your sore toe.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the edges or corner of the nail dig into the skin next to it causing pain, inflammation and sometimes infection. An ingrown toenail doesn’t always puncture the skin and can affect the big or small toes.    When a toenail pierces the skin at the side, there may be bleeding, oozing and subsequent infection.

Risk factors and causes of ingrown toenails:

  • Toenails come in all shapes and sizes. Curved or involuted nails, have a curvature on one or both sides of the nail plate. This curvature may be so severe that the sides of the nail come together resulting in pinching of the nail bed tissue, also known as a pincer nail.
  • Footwear that is unsupportive or doesn’t fit well, including shoes that are too tight, narrow, or shallow may place excess pressure on the toes causing an ingrown.
  • Sweaty feet can be problematic as skin that is too moist becomes weaker, making the skin at the side of the nail an easy target for being punctured by a sharp nail.
  • Toes that are bent or curly may cause more pressure on the sides of the nail. Hammer toes and bunions are commonly associated with ingrown toenails.
  • Cutting toenails the proper way is important for your health and comfort. When toenails are cut too short or ripped off, nails can easily dig into the surrounding skin.
  • A fungal infection can cause thickening of the nail and can also change the shape of the nail. This increases the risk for painful ingrown toenails.
  • Many of us have experienced an inadvertent toenail injury. Stubbing the toe or dropping a heavy object on a toe can both cause injury to the nail and nail bed.  This can affect the way the nail continues to grow over time, affecting the shape and thickness.

Ingrown toenail prevention and treatment? 

  1. Regular routine foot care is crucial as it will ensure your toenails are being cut properly. During a routine foot care appointment, your BioPed foot care clinician will use an antiseptic before cutting the offending nail.  After cutting the nail, a small file is used to make sure the nail is smooth and is no longer digging into the skin at the sides.
  2. Well-fitting footwear is imperative!  BioPed lower limb clinicians will measure your feet in length and width and recommend the best shoe for your foot type, size and shape.
  3. Toenail Bracing using a composite resin band, trains the nail to grow straighter and less curved.  It is non-invasive and described by many as a painless treatment with zero downtime. This method of nail correction has been proven safe and effective for persons of all ages, with all nail types including children and people with diabetes. Pain, pressure and discomfort dissipate almost instantly and the correction effect is long-lasting.
  4. Nail Avulsions are minor surgical procedures performed in the clinic by a Registered Chiropodist.  It is a long-term treatment option that involves removing part of or the entire nail plate and using a chemical to kill the cells from which the nail itself grows.  This procedure will take some time to heal but can be an excellent option for chronically painful and infected ingrown toenails.

Come See Us!

If you have been suffering from pain or recurrent infections due to an involuted or ingrown toenail, contact your local BioPed clinic today to book an assessment with one of our Registered Chiropodists or Footcare Nurses to start feeling relief once and for all!