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The medical term for ingrown toenails is onychocryptosis. The problem often arises if the person wears tight shoes, has very sweaty feet, or trims their toenails incorrectly.
Ingrown toenails cause inflammation of the affected skin. The blood supply to this part of the finger increases, it becomes red, swollen and painful. Sometimes new tissue begins to grow over the toenail. Doctors call it a granuloma because the surface of the new tissue looks a bit like tiny granules. The inflamed area may become wet, bleed, or produce pus and smell bad, especially if bacteria enter the wound.
Why do toenails grow in adults
Symptoms occur when the edge of the toenail presses into the skin and continues to grow. If it damages the skin and soft tissues underneath, inflammation will occur. A toenail is more likely to grow in if:
- it is cut too short or rounded at the edges;
- you wear too tight shoes;
- nail plates are very sweaty;
- there is a certain genetic form of toenail growth, such as “pincers” that are so curved that they look like part of a tube when viewed from the tips of the toes;
- are overweight (obese);
- have diabetes or a medical condition that can cause fluid retention in the legs, such as heart or kidney failure, chronic venous insufficiency in the legs, or the patient is taking cancer medication.
Ingrown toenails are a common problem: 20 out of 100 people who see a doctor for foot problems have an ingrown toenail. Quite often this happens in teenagers and young adults – they tend to sweat more, for example, due to hormonal changes during puberty or during sports.
But ingrown toenails are not uncommon in the elderly. They may be at higher risk due to medical conditions such as diabetes. In addition, with age, toenails become thicker and more difficult to trim.
Doctors distinguish three degrees of severity of an ingrown nail:
1 stage – the nail has grown into the skin from the side, the skin hurts and becomes inflamed.
2 stage – new inflamed tissue (granuloma) has grown along the edges of the ingrown nail. The tissue becomes wet and secretes pus.
3 stage – The skin around the toenail is chronically inflamed and pus continues to flow from it, the granuloma has already begun to grow above the nail.
Ingrown toenail treatment in adults
Patients usually notice the problem of an ingrown toenail early because the toe starts to hurt. If you treat it in time, you can cope with inflammation on your own. Then the wound heals without any consequences.
But inflammation in people with weakened immune systems can spread, and if bacteria infects the wound, it can cause inflammation with pus around or under the entire nail. Then it is recommended to see a doctor, especially if the person also feels tired, has a fever, and the infection has spread to the toe and developed into cellulitis (infection of the deeper layers of the skin).
Diagnostics
An ingrown toenail can be diagnosed without any complex examinations. The doctor will carefully examine the affected finger, ask about the symptoms and possible causes.
Additional tests—such as a blood test—may be needed if the doctor thinks the ingrown toenail has already led to complications, such as cellulitis.
Modern treatments
The most appropriate treatment for an ingrown toenail depends on how severe the problem is. If the inflammation is mild and the finger does not hurt much, you can moisten it in soapy water, and then treat the affected part of the finger with antiseptic or anti-inflammatory tinctures, gels or creams. It is important to thoroughly dry your foot after a foot bath, wait a while before putting on your shoes, and avoid putting pressure on the ingrown toenail.
The use of special splints or braces can also help the nails grow freely again. A podiatrist (foot specialist) will help you use these devices. If you have a higher risk of foot problems due to diabetes, you should talk to your doctor first. As a rule, it is recommended to see a specialist if these measures do not help or if the skin around the ingrown nail secretes pus and is very inflamed. In this case, surgery may be required:
- removal of part of the infected nail – the doctor will anesthetize the toe, then surgically cut off the part of the nail that grows into the skin;
- removal of the entire infected nail – if ingrown toenails on the same toe are still bothering, the doctor can remove them completely, and after about 4 months new ones will grow and, most likely, they will no longer be deformed.
Popular questions and answers
We asked experts on this problem, a podiatrist and a dermatovenereologist, to answer questions about an ingrown toenail.
Why do nails grow in and who gets it more often?
● improper care of toes, incorrect cutting;
● shoes that are incorrectly matched in size and fullness;
● wearing narrow-toed shoes every day;
● anatomical features of the structure of the foot (wide foot, flat feet)
● chronic diseases (fungal lesions, gout, diabetes, foot injuries).
Onychocryptosis can affect both children and the elderly. However, most often it worries young people.