Do you have redness and inflammation at the edge of the nail of one of your toes? Do you feel pain in the nail when pressed? You may well have an ingrown toenail. Clinique Podiatrique Stéphanie Bonneau Inc. gives you the solutions to treat your ingrown toenail and prevent any recurrence!

What is an ingrown toenail?

We speak of an ingrown toenail when a toenail penetrates the flesh that surrounds it. This often results in redness, inflammation and/or pain in the toe. In the most severe cases, this can lead to a toe infection.

Ingrown toenails are most often located on the big toe.

What are the causes and risk factors?

An ingrown toenail is usually caused by cutting the nail too short or too round, which will then grow into the skin.

The appearance of ingrown toenails can also be favored by wearing shoes that are too tight, high-heeled shoes or by wearing support stockings.

Certain factors also favor the appearance of ingrown toenails such as genetic predispositions (hereditary shape of the nail or toenail) or thick and difficult to cut nails often seen in the elderly. Indeed, in many people, the toenails tend to bend more and more over the years, which can cause an ingrown nail.

A trauma on the toe can also result in an ingrown nail: these cases are observed during the practice of sports such as: running, hiking, basketball or soccer.

What are the treatments for ingrown toenails?

An ingrown toenail should not be taken lightly. It is advisable to consult your podiatrist as soon as the first symptoms appear in order to avoid an infection and to benefit from adequate care.

Your podiatrist can provide you with care that can limit the recurrence of the ingrown toenail. Indeed, in order to treat an ingrown toenail, the podiatrist can make a cut at an angle to release the affected part.

In case of recurrence or infection of the toe, the podiatrist can decide, after complete analysis, to resort to a minor surgery called permanent partial matrixectomy. Performed under local anesthesia, this procedure involves removing the part of the nail causing the problem or infection and burning the root so that this segment of nail does not grow back. In addition to providing a permanent cure, this procedure allows the patient to quickly regain comfort while maintaining the aesthetic appearance of the nail.

There are also other procedures performed by podiatrists for various cases. It is important to consult in order to be able to choose with your podiatrist the most suitable treatment for your situation.

How to prevent ingrown toenail?

• Cut your nails into a square shape rather than a rounded shape.
• Do not cut your nails too deep in the corners of the toe.
• Cut your nails regularly to prevent them from breaking and then entering the skin.
• Don’t cut your nails too short or too close to the skin.
• Wear comfortable shoes in which your feet have enough space

Do not hesitate to contact us: the podiatrists at Clinique Podiatrique Stéphanie Bonneau Inc. are there to help and advise you!