Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail can cause severe pain and discomfort if the edge of the nail embeds into the skin around it. The providers at Ocean Urgent Care in Lawndale, California, understand how an ingrown toenail can affect your comfort and mobility. The clinic offers multiple effective treatments for ingrown toenails. Call the clinic today or schedule an appointment online to receive a diagnosis and treatment.

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail’s edges dig into the surrounding skin, causing it to inflame. The skin becomes tender and painful, which can make walking difficult. Without treatment, an ingrown toenail can puncture the skin and lead to an infection. 

It may be tempting to treat an ingrown toenail at home, but professional intervention is often necessary to preserve the skin and nails.

What are the signs of an ingrown toenail?

Ingrown toenails mainly affect the skin that supports the nail. If you have an ingrown nail, you may experience:

• Redness
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Pus between the nail and nailbed
• Pain when walking or wearing shoes

While ingrown nails can occur in fingernails, they’re far more common in toenails. They often develop in the big toe, where the nail is thick. 

What causes an ingrown toenail?

Many conditions and lifestyle choices can increase your risk of having an ingrown toenail, such as:

• Stubbing your toe
• Wearing tight, narrow-fitting shoes
• Having a nail infection
• Having curved toenails
• Having a congenital condition
• Having diabetes
• Cutting your toenails at a rounded angle

Ingrown toenails can occur at any age, but they’re most common in adolescents and older adults. Children tend to sweat, which softens the skin and nails. Older adults have thicker nails and drier skin, which increases their risk of skin breaks.

How is an ingrown toenail treated?

Sometimes, ingrown toenails are treatable with at-home care. Common home treatments for ingrown toenails include:

• Soaking your feet in warm water to soften the skin
• Wearing comfortable shoes
• Gently separating the edge of the nail from the skin
• Keeping your feet dry

If home interventions don’t work, the providers at Ocean Urgent Care may separate and trim the edge of the nail. Minimally invasive surgery to partially or fully remove the nail may be necessary to treat an ingrown nail. Your provider may apply medication to your skin to prevent or clear an infection.

How can I prevent an ingrown toenail?

To prevent ingrown toenails, always cut your nails straight across without rounding the edges. You should also wear comfortable shoes with plenty of room to avoid abnormal nail growth. If you’re a runner or play sports that involve footwork, such as soccer, your provider may recommend shoe modifications.

Call Ocean Urgent Care today or schedule an appointment online to learn more about ingrown toenails.