What Is Ingrown Toenail?
An ingrown toenail occurs when the corners or edges of the nail grow inside the skin surrounding the nail. It is also called onychocryptosis. It usually occurs on the toenails rather than the fingernails. It is a painful condition commonly occurring on the great toe.
What Causes Ingrown Toenails?
There are various causes for these ingrown toenails, which include:
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Toenails cut too short.
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Wearing tight-fitting or ill-fitting shoes.
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Toenail injury caused by kicking a ball or object repeatedly, dropping some heavy objects on foot, etc.
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Repetitive pressure on the foot.
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Congenital foot deformities.
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Poor foot hygiene when not keeping the feet clean or dry.
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Fungal infection of the feet.
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Genetic predisposition.
What Causes Infection in the Ingrown Toenail?
When there is a breakthrough in the skin from the invading edges of the nails, it can result in infection.
The infection-causing organisms are:
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Candida.
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Trichophyton.
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Dermatophytes.
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Staphylococcus.
The warm and moist environment of the feet is ideal for the bacteria and fungi to breed and cause an infection. The infected ingrown toenail is known as paronychia.
Who Are More Prone to Ingrown Toenails?
Many factors may predispose a person to have this ingrown toenail. Some of the factors include:
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Athletics are constantly exposed to pressure on the foot.
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People with sweaty feet.
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Medical conditions which cause leg swelling.
What Are the Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails?
An ingrown toenail is a painful condition, and it shows some of the following symptoms in different stages:
Initially, you will see the following symptoms:
The skin surrounding the nail will be,
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Tender.
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Swollen.
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Hard.
In the later stages, when it gets infected, you will see the following symptoms:
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Oozing pus.
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Bleeding.
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Pain.
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Redness.
When Do You Have to See the Doctor?
Ingrown toenails can usually be treated at home. But if the toenail has pierced inside the flesh surrounding the nail or if you notice the signs of infection, you have to see the doctor to seek treatment.
How to Treat Ingrown Toenails at Home?
Ingrown toenails can be treated at home only if there are no signs of an infection.
The ways to treat an ingrown toenail at home are the following:
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Soak your feet in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three to four times a day. You can also add Epsom salt, which will help to ease the pain and swelling.
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Dry the foot after soaking with a clean and soft towel.
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You can gently massage the foot to improve the blood flow to the area.
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You can take over-the-counter medications for pain. However, it is always recommended to consult a doctor before taking it.
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Wear loose shoes with open toes or slippers till the ingrown toenails heal.
You can try these above treatment options at home for a few days. However, if the symptoms worsen, you are still not relieved of pain, the pain worsens, or you find difficulty walking, you will have to seek the physician's advice and treatment immediately.
Your doctor may recommend the following:
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The application of an antibacterial cream will help reduce the severity of the infection.
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Application of numbing cream to that area. This will not reduce the infection, but it will help with the pain.
What Are the Complications of the Untreated Ingrown Toenail?
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Ingrown toenails, if left untreated, can lead to foot ulcers.
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A foot infection can be more complicated when you have diabetes, as the healing process will get delayed. In addition, difficult-to-heal foot ulcers may lead to gangrene (death of the tissue) which may require surgery.
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Paronychia is the most common complication of the ingrown toenail. If paronychia is not treated, it can lead to,
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Cellulitis.
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Osteomyelitis.
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Systemic infection.
How Is the Surgery for Ingrown Toenails Done?
There are two types of surgery for an ingrown toenail. They are:
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Partial nail removal surgery.
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Total nail removal surgery.
Partial Nail Removal Surgery:
In the case of partial nail removal surgery, only the piece of the nail that is ingrowing in the skin is removed.
Total Nail Removal Surgery:
The doctor will give you a local anesthetic injection and then remove the entire nail. This procedure is called matrixectomy.
What Precautions Have To Be Followed After the Surgery?
How important is doing surgery is equally important to how you maintain it after the surgery. There are multiple precautions that you need to follow once the surgery is done, and they are:
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Your toe will be bandaged after the surgery, so try to avoid movement as much as possible.
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You will probably need to keep your foot raised for a few days after the surgery for better blood circulation.
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You will need to wear open-toe shoes or special footwear till it heals properly.
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Your doctor may advise you to soak your feet in the saltwater for better healing.
These are some precautions that have to be followed for better and speedy healing.
What Is the Prognosis of the Surgery?
According to the data given by the health experts, partial nail removal surgery is 98 % effective in preventing further ingrown toenails. Your toenail will grow back a few months after the partial toenail surgery. In the case of total nail removal surgery, it can take over a year or more to grow back.
How To Prevent Ingrown Toenails?
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Do not cut your toenails too short. Instead, keep your nails at moderate length.
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Try to trim your toenails straight across. If you trim your nail curved to match the shape of the toe, then you may end up having an ingrown toenail.
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Wear proper-fitting shoes. Do not wear tight-fitting shoes.
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If you are working at a job where you need to put a lot of pressure on the foot, try to wear some good quality protective shoes.
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Maintain proper foot hygiene.
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If you have diabetes, keep checking your feet for any such problems.
Conclusion:
An ingrown toenail is one of the most common causes of foot pain. Though it is a painful condition, it can become a severe problem for those who have diabetes or any other circulatory disorders. The best way to prevent ingrown toenails is to follow the precautions mentioned above so that you will not end up facing complications later.
