Why Do Ingrown Toenails Keep Coming Back And What to Do About Them

As the toenail curves downward into the fleshy portion of the toe, it becomes an ingrown toenail. They most frequently occur on the big toe. When a toenail penetrates the skin, it can result in infection and inflammation, which can be painful and temporarily impair movement.

You will be able to identify the signs of this condition due to the swelling, redness in the affected area and infection where the nail is pushing on the toe. Also, it might be warm and painful to touch. As you put on your shoes or take a step, you could experience discomfort.

Ingrown Toenail: Recurrence

It is possible that the ingrown toenail will recur in the future if the source is not addressed or treated. Recurring ingrown toenail triggers include:

• Improper Footwear

Your toes may hit against the insides of the shoes or become crowded together in poorly fitted shoes, causing your nails to press into the nearby flesh. As a result, the nail tends to puncture and penetrate the skin around the toes, which will regrettably continue to happen if you keep wearing the same shoes often.

• Improper Toenail Trimming

Cut your nails properly and do not pull or break them using your fingers, as that changes the shape of the nail. It also makes the tip surface rough, making it easier for the nail to push itself into the flesh of the toe.

Even if you use nail clippers to cut your nails, curling the nails into the sides might lead to ingrown nails. The best approach to trimming a nail is to cut it straight across and, if necessary, use a nail file to carefully round off the edges.

Ingrown Toenail: Permanent Solutions

• Surgery

Ingrown toenail surgery is a long-lasting treatment option that podiatrists recommend for some cases of ingrown toenails. This is a quick, easy, and sterile technique that does not take long.

• Partial Nail Avulsion

The tiny portion of your nail that is still growing into the skin and causing you discomfort is removed by podiatrists who call this procedure a “partial nail avulsion”. When the troublesome nail piece is extracted, a chemical is applied to destroy the nail-growing cells in that particular nail corner. The entire process takes an hour to complete and is painless because the toe has been numbed with a local anesthetic.

Ingrown toenails can occasionally be a hereditary issue. Such individuals have bent toenails that generally grow inwards over time. Ingrown toenails can be permanently stopped by treating the nail bed in a way that stops the toenail from growing inwards.

Consult your podiatrist on how to put an end to this chronic agony.

The foot experts at Desert Podiatric Medical Specialists in the Tucson, Oro Valley, and Green Valley areas of Pima County, Arizona, have unparalleled experience treating all aspects of foot and ankle care. If you have any questions or want to make an appointment, please call (520) 575-0800.