Ingrown toenail is a common medical condition whereby the side or the corner of a toenail grows in the soft flesh. It leads to redness, pain, and swelling and the resultant infection makes ingrown toenail removal a necessity. It is commonly seen in the big toes. Though you can try home remedies for the toenails, it is better to go to a foot doctor to relieve the discomfort and prevent further complications.
Causes of ingrown toenails:
Ingrown toenails can occur in both women and men. This condition is highly common in people whose feet sweats a lot, such as the teenagers. Even the elderly is at a higher risk because the toenails tend to thicken with age. There are multiple reasons why you might develop an ingrown toenail, such as:
- Incorrectly cutting the toenails can lead to ingrowth. The toenails have to be cut straight because angling the sides of your nails can make them grow into the skin directly.
- Curved or irregular toenails
- Footwear that creates a lot of pressure on the big toes, like stocking and socks which are really tight, can cause ingrown toenails. Even shoes those are too narrow, tight, or flat for the feet.
- Toenail injury might be the cause, including dropping a heavy object on the foot, stubbing the toe somewhere, or repeatedly kicking a football
- Wrong posture
- Not maintaining proper hygiene for your feet, like not keeping the feet dry or clean
- Genetic causes
- Diabetes or other such conditions that leads to loss of proper blood flow to the feet.
The athletic activities that require frequent usage of feet can make you prone to the condition of ingrown toenails. In the activities where you put constant pressure on the feet or kick any object for a long period of time, there is a high risk of your toenail getting damaged and the consequent development of the condition that needs ingrown toenail removal. Some of the sports that generally lead to the condition are:
- Football
- Soccer
- Ballet
- Kickboxing
Symptoms of ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails are not just painful, but the condition also worsens progressively. The earliest symptoms of the condition are:
- The skin right beside the nail becomes swollen, tender, and hard
- A nagging pain when there is any pressure on that toe
- Fluid accumulation around the infected toe.
If your toe has already become infected, then following are the symptoms you will notice:
- Continuous pain
- The skin around the nail becoming swollen and red
- Bleeding or pus oozing out from the corner of the nail
- Overgrown skin around the toenails
You need ingrown toenail removalas soon as you can in order to avoid any worsening of the symptoms.
For any questions that you have, get in touch with us at our office in Houston, TX. We have the latest treatment technologies and tools to cure all your foot and ankle conditions. Do not wait for the symptoms to worsen and contact your nearest podiatrists in Houston without further delay.
