5 Ways to Prevent Ingrown Toenails
With sandal season right around the corner, now’s the best time to talk about how to prevent ingrown toenails. Not sure what they are, what causes them or how you can stop ingrown toenails from developing? Just keep reading for all the answers.
What are Ingrown Toenails?
When you have an ingrown toenail, it means the corner or side of your nail grows into your skin. [i](This usually happens with the nail of your big toe. But it can occur on other nails, too.)
If you develop an ingrown toenail, you are likely to experience painful symptoms. Signs of an ingrown toenail include:
· Pain
· Tenderness in your toe and/or along the sides of your nail
· Redness around your nail
· Swelling
· Signs of infection, including drainage and pus
Causes of Ingrown Toenails
Before we learn how to prevent ingrown toenails, it’s important to know why they develop. There’s not one reason why you develop an ingrown toenail. But all of the following can change the way your nails grow and that can increase your risk for ingrown toenails.
Causes of ingrown toenails include:
· Poorly fitted shoes that hit your nails
· Trimming your toenails on an angle
· Cutting your toenails too short
· Previous toenail injuries
· Toenails that curve dramatically
5 Tips for Preventing Ingrown Toenails
1. Trim carefully. When cutting your nails, don't curve them to match the shape of your toe top. Instead, trim your nail in a straight line.
2. Don’t fall short. You never want to take off too much of your toenail. To prevent ingrown toenails, aim to keep the top of your nail even to the tip of your toes. Going any shorter increases your risk for ingrown nails, because pressure from your shoes can push your nail to grow into your skin.
3. Check your fit. Avoid shoes that pinch your toes or put lots of pressure on your nails. If you already have neuropathy, you may not notice that kind of pressure. For that reason, you may need special diabetic shoes to help prevent ingrown toenails and other complications.
4. Always protect your feet. Make sure your toes are covered when you’re walking long distances. Also, if your job involves lifting heavy objects, look for steel-toed shoes that can protect your toenails from injury.
5. Watch for problems. Every time you trim your nails, look carefully for any signs of an ingrown toenail. (If you have diabetes, you should check your feet, toes and nails every day.) That way, you can catch any problems in their early stages, which makes it easier to treat ingrown toenails.
Treating Ingrown Toenails in Westfield, Indiana
If you notice ingrown toenail symptoms, don’t try to treat the problem at home. These so-called “bathroom surgeries” can lead to bigger problems, and painful infections. Instead, make an appointment with our office right away. In our Westfield podiatry practice, we can treat your ingrown toenail quickly, and with minimal discomfort. Plus, the sooner you come in, the less-invasive the treatment we can choose which means faster pain relief and recovery times!