Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAt-Home ReliefCan It Grow Out?Seeing a Healthcare ProviderPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
At-Home Relief
Can It Grow Out?
Seeing a Healthcare Provider
Prevention
An ingrown toenail, oronychocryptosis, is an uncomfortable but common condition in which the edge of yourtoenailgrows into the skin on your toe.This typically, but not always, affects the big toe. In addition to pain, swelling, and inflammation, ingrown toenails can sometimes lead to infection.
It may be tempting to clip an ingrown toenail yourself or dig it out to relieve your symptoms, but it’s not safe to do so because at-home instruments are not sterile and can introduce harmfulbacteriainto the skin.
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How to Manage an Ingrown Toenail at Home
While attempting to remove an ingrown toenail at home is discouraged, there are several steps you can take at home to relieve associated symptoms. These include:
If you already have an infection, cutting your ingrown toenail may push the bacteria deeper into your toe. This can worsen the pain and infection, cause it to spread, and prolong your condition.
Can an Ingrown Toenail Go Away on Its Own?
A very mild ingrown toenail in its beginning stages may resolve on its own with prompt at-home treatment, such as consistent foot soaks. It might grow out before becoming more deeply embedded in the skin.
When Does a Provider Remove an Ingrown Toenail?
If your ingrown toenail symptoms do not resolve within a few days after starting at-home treatment, it’s time to see a healthcare provider, such as a podiatrist. You should reach out to a healthcare provider right away if you have an underlying condition that affects your feet, includingdiabetes, or any signs of infection, such as drainage or a fever.
If your toe is infected, your healthcare provider may prescribe topical and/or oral antibiotics. They may also recommend surgical treatment to remove part or all of your toenail. This is known as partial nail avulsion or complete nail plate avulsion.
How to Prevent Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails have many potential causes, including:
Summary
An ingrown toenail occurs when the side of your nail, typically on the outside of your big toe, grows into the toe. This condition is painful, leading some people to try to cut off the ingrown toenail themselves. However, doing so can prolong the problem, cause infection, or make an already infected toe worse.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DermNet NZ.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Ingrown toenail.OrthoInfo - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ingrown toenail.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to trim your nails.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DermNet NZ.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Ingrown toenail.OrthoInfo - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ingrown toenail.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to trim your nails.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
DermNet NZ.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus.Ingrown toenail.MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Ingrown toenail.OrthoInfo - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ingrown toenail.American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to trim your nails.
DermNet NZ.Ingrown toenail.
MedlinePlus.Ingrown toenail.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.Ingrown toenail.
OrthoInfo - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Ingrown toenail.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.How to trim your nails.
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