Symptoms, people and risk factors of ingrown toenails

Pain around a nail, usually amplified by wearing shoes;
Redness and swelling of the skin around the painful nail;
If there is infection, the pain is more severe and there may be pus;
If the infection persists, a bead of flesh may form on the edge of the nail and deform it. Called botryomycoma, this bead is usually painful and bleeds at the slightest touch.

Ingrown toenails can develop in 3 stages² :

At the beginning stage, we observe a small inflammation and pain on pressure;
At the second stage, a purulent infection appears, the swelling and pain worsen. The sore becomes more apparent;
The third stage results in chronic inflammation and the formation of beads voluminous. An ulcer can even form, especially in people with diabetes who find out late that they have an ingrown toenail.

People who have thick or curved nails, in the shape of a “tile” or of a clip (that is to say very curved);
The elderly, because their nails tend to thicken and they manage to cut them less easily;
The Adolescents because they often have excessive sweating of the feet, which softens the tissues. The nails are also more friable and tend to embody more easily;
People whose close relatives have had ingrown toenails (hereditary factor);
People with bone deformities associated with osteoarthritis of the toes.

Cut your toenails too short or round off the corners;
Wear shoes that are too tight, especially if they have high heels. With age, the size of the foot increases from ½ cm to 1 cm;
Have a damaged nail.