Ingrown Nail

It is a common problem that occurs when the corner or edge of the nail digs into the soft tissue at the tips of the fingers. It is most common on the big toe and causes complaints such as pain, redness and swelling.

What is an ingrown toenail?
What causes ingrown toenails?
What are the symptoms of ingrown toenails?
Do babies get ingrown toenails?
What is good for ingrown nails?
How does ingrown toenail go away?
What are the treatment options for ingrown toenails?
How is ingrown nail surgery performed?

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail is a painful health problem caused by the nail extending into and sinking into the surrounding nail bed. It usually occurs on the big toe and is caused when the corner or edge of the toenail curls and becomes embedded in the surrounding skin. If an infection develops as a result of an ingrown toenail, the pain becomes more severe and there may be an increase in temperature, swelling and foul-smelling discharge.

What causes ingrown toenails?

An imbalance between the size of the nail and the width of the nail bed is an important cause of ingrown nails. This can be exacerbated by improper nail trimming, inherited nail problems and wearing inappropriate footwear.

Common causes of ingrown toenails include the following:

Imbalance between nail size and nail bed width,
Wearing tight shoes and socks that pinch the nails,

Cutting nails too short,
Ingrown toenails can be seen in toenails that are cut incorrectly curved. Toenails should be cut straight to avoid ingrown toenails.
Injury to the toenail,
Having unusually curved toenails,
Improper manicure and pedicure applications.
Some people’s toenails naturally curve inwards. This is known as pincer toenails and ingrown toenails are common.

In particular, trauma resulting in nail removal can cause ingrown nails.

What are the symptoms of ingrown toenails?

The most common symptom of an ingrown nail is pain. The pain may be on one or both sides of the nail and increases with touching. Other symptoms that can be seen in ingrown toenails:

Sensitivity in the nail bed,
Redness around the nail,
Swelling around the nail,
Increased heat and discharge in the tissue around the nail.

Do babies get ingrown toenails?
Toenails grow fast in babies and need to be cared for and trimmed carefully to avoid any undesirable situation. Extra care is essential to avoid ingrown toenails, which can be very painful for babies. When babies have an ingrown toenail, that area of the finger becomes red, swollen and may develop an uncomfortable discharge. When the finger is touched or pressure is applied, the baby reacts by crying.

What is good for ingrown toenails?

To prevent infection, it is important to treat an ingrown nail as soon as it occurs. In mild cases, minor treatment with home remedies may be sufficient. In serious cases, surgical intervention may be required.

Applications that can be done at home for ingrown toenails are:

Soapy hot water bath; soaking the affected foot in water can help reduce swelling and relieve pain. Soaking the foot in warm, soapy water three times a day for up to 20 minutes each time can give effective results.

Apple cider vinegar; Although scientific evidence is limited, apple cider vinegar is thought to have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Half a tea glass of apple cider vinegar is added to a bucket of warm water for ingrown toenails. The affected foot is kept in this water for 20 minutes a day. Feet should be thoroughly dried after application.
Wear comfortable shoes and socks. Wearing shoes and socks that are too tight can pinch the fingertips. This is a leading cause of ingrown toenails. To prevent the development or worsening of ingrown toenails, shoes and socks should be worn with enough space in the toes. During the healing process, slippers or sandals should be worn instead of shoes to limit pressure on the toes.

Using an ingrown nail protector provides a cushioning barrier for ingrown nails. They are available as rings that fit around the affected area or as a cover that completely encases the toe. Some protectors are sold with a medicated gel that helps soften the toenails and speeds healing.

How do ingrown toenails go away?

Placing cotton or waxed dental floss under the toenail can help heal an ingrown toenail. After soaking the feet in warm water for 20 minutes 3 to 4 times a day, a piece of clean cotton or waxed dental floss is placed under the ingrown nail edge. This helps the nail to grow above the skin edge.

Feet should be kept dry for the rest of the day.

Nails should not be cut until the ingrowth is gone, but should be allowed to grow.

Antibiotic creams, if any, will help to clear the infection. After applying the cream, it should be covered with a bandage.

Comfortable shoes should be worn. As long as ingrown toenails persist, open-toed shoes or sandals should be preferred.

What are the treatment options for ingrown toenails?

If the ingrown nail does not go away despite the methods applied at home, if the finger is extremely swollen and painful, if severe tenderness, heat increase develops in the area and pus flows, if the person has diabetes, the best behavior is to see a doctor. If the doctor observes signs of infection due to ingrown toenail, oral antibiotic treatment begins. Depending on the situation, it may also be necessary to cut off part of the nail or pull out the entire nail.

How is ingrown toenail surgery performed?

In the case of severe ingrown toenails, part or all of the nail is removed with ingrown toenail surgery.

Depending on the situation, part or all of the toenail may need to be removed.

To prepare the patient for surgery, the foot is first cleaned with antiseptic solutions and the nail bed is numbed with an injection of an anesthetic. The numbing process can be quite uncomfortable. Just before the procedure, a tourniquet is placed on the root of the toe to control bleeding. After preparation, the doctor uses scissors and special tools to separate the nail from its bed. First, a vertical cut is made from the site of the ingrown nail to the root of the nail. Then the cut part of the nail is pulled out. Sometimes the whole nail may need to be removed. Finally, a heated electrical device called a cautery device is used to destroy the ingrown nail root, and an acidic solution such as phenol or trichloroacetic acid is used on the side. The treated part of the nail usually does not grow. If it does, the new nail tissue will have a different structure. When the procedure is complete, a bandage covered with Vaseline is applied to the finger.

With more than 20 years of experience, we serve our patients in our polyclinic. You can contact us for all your ingrown nail problems. For this, you can contact us at any time through the channels on our web page.