Ingrown Toenails: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2009/02/28 - Updated: 2025/05/19
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Finger and Toenails - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This information provides an overview of ingrown toenails, detailing their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. It explains that ingrown toenails, medically known as onychocryptosis, most often affect the big toe and can result from improper nail trimming, poorly fitting shoes, injuries, or genetic predisposition. The article is particularly useful for seniors, people with disabilities, and those with diabetes or poor circulation, as these groups are at higher risk for complications such as infection. Symptoms include pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes pus, with the potential for the infection to spread if left untreated. Treatment ranges from home remedies like soaking the foot in warm water and wearing comfortable shoes, to medical interventions such as partial nail removal or antibiotics for more severe cases. The information is authoritative and practical, offering clear guidance on prevention and management, making it especially helpful for individuals who may have difficulty accessing regular foot care - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Onychocryptosis, known as ingrown nails or ingrowing nails, is a form of nail disease. It is a painful condition in which the nail grows or cuts into one or both sides of the nail bed. Ingrown nails can occur in both fingernails and toenails, however they occur most commonly with toenails.

Focus

An ingrown toenail is a painful condition of the toe. The area is usually red and may be warm, if not treated, ingrown toenails can be prone to infection. With bacterial invasion, the nail margin becomes red and swollen often demonstrating drainage or pus. Some ingrown toenails are chronic, with repeated episodes of pain and infection.

Ingrown toenails can be caused by cutting toenails improperly, by wearing shoes that fit poorly or by injuring the nail bed. While many things can cause ingrown toenails, the major causes are shoes that don't fit well and improperly trimmed nails. This condition is usually very painful and can be associated with infection of the toe. Ingrown toenails also can run in the family.

Some ingrown toenails are chronic, with repeated episodes of pain and infection. Irritation, redness, an uncomfortable sensation of warmth, as well as swelling can result from an ingrown toenail. When the toenail grows into the surrounding tissue, a painful toe is the result. Ingrown nails may produce no symptoms at first but eventually may become painful, especially when pressure is applied to the ingrown area. The great toe is usually affected, but any toenail can become ingrown. In people who have diabetes or poor circulation this relatively minor problem can be become quite severe.

Ingrown nails may develop for many reasons. Some cases are congenital the nail is just too large for the toe. Ingrown toenails are common in adults but uncommon in children and infants. Any toenail can become ingrown, but the condition is usually found in the big toe. If you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor circulation to your feet, you're at greater risk of complications from an ingrown toenail. Soaking the foot in warm salty water may relieve the pain temporarily. The toe is not necessarily infected, but this can develop after the nail penetrate the skin to become ingrown.

The infection can spread, making the toe red and inflamed (paronychia). This is different from nail fungus. A collection of pus may also develop. The condition usually affects your big toe. If left untreated, the inflammation can spread to the rest of your toe and the area becomes infected. It may smell unpleasant. Sometimes initial treatment for ingrown toenails can be safely performed at home.

Causes of Ingrown Toenails

• Injury to your toenail.
• Unusually curved toenails.
• Trauma, such as stubbing the toe or having the toe stepped on, may also cause an ingrown nail.
• If a member of your family has an ingrown toenail, then you are more likely to develop one too.
• Repeated trauma, such as the pounding to which runners typically subject their feet, also can cause ingrown nails.
• While many things can cause ingrown toenails, the major causes are shoes that don't fit well and improperly trimmed nails.
• Ingrown toenails can be caused by cutting toenails improperly, by wearing shoes that fit poorly or by injuring the nail bed.
• Nail length: Cutting the nail so short that it is not constrained by the distal portion of the cuticles, allowing side slippage and penetration of the lateral nail bed by the nail substance.

Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails

• Swelling of your toe around the nail.
• Infection of the tissue around your toenail.
• You may develop a fever, although this is unusual.
• Tenderness in your toe along one or both sides of the nail.
• In addition, a small amount of pus will come out of the edge.
• The infection can spread, making the toe red and inflamed (paronychia).
• The most common symptom of an ingrown toenail is pain, especially if the area becomes infected.

Treatment of Ingrown Toenails

• Putting cotton in the corner.
• Apply a mild antiseptic solution to the area.
• Partial nail removal with cauterization of the nail matrix is curative in 70-90% of cases.
• Sometimes antibiotics are used to help the infection clear after the nail has been removed.
• Soak the foot in warm water 4 times a day. You do not need to add soap or antibacterial agents to the water.
• Wear comfortable shoes with adequate room for the toes. Consider wearing sandals until the condition clears up.
• Surgery may involve numbing the toe and removing a corner of the nail, a larger portion of the nail, or the entire nail.
• If home remedies don't help, your doctor can treat an ingrown toenail by trimming or removing the ingrown portion of your nail to help relieve pain.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.