Ingrown Toenail
(Onychocryptosis)
Medical Author: Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
What are ingrown toenails? What are the symptoms?
Ingrown toenails are a very common problem
affecting primarily the great toenail. They are caused by sideways growth of the
nail edge into the skin of the toe. The abnormal extension of the toenail pushes
into the surrounding skin causing discomfort. Normal toenail growth should be
vertical or outward toward the tip of the toe. The medical term for ingrown
toenail is onychocryptosis.
Symptoms of ingrown toenails are sore, often painful, nail
folds with various degrees of redness, swelling, and sometimes clear or yellow
drainage. Frequently, ingrown toenails resolve without medical treatment.
Complicated cases may require treatment by a physician.
What causes ingrown toenails?
The sideways growing portion of nail acts like
a foreign body and pokes into or pinches off a small piece of skin at the outer
edge of the toe. This may cause a break in the skin, causing inflammation and
possibly infection. The inflammation often causes more thickening of the nail
skin fold, further exacerbating the problem. The protruding piece of nail keeps
pushing into the skin, causing further injury and pain.
Are some people more prone to ingrown toenails?
Some people are simply more
prone to ingrown toenails. Some risk factors include
- athletic adolescents and
children,
- tight or narrow shoes (poorly fitted shoes),
- repeat injury or trauma
to feet,
- poor foot hygiene,
- poor posture and gait,
- congenital foot deformity,
- congenital toenail malformation,
- very long toes,
- naturally short nails,
- obesity,
- diabetes,
- toenail infections,
- fungal nail disease,
- prior nail surgery,
- abnormal nail growths,
- arthritis, and
- excessive foot sweating.
Next: Which nails are most commonly affected? »
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