Ingrown toenail

In summary: an ingrown toenail has a solution, often a definitive one. Mild cases are resolved with conservative treatment; when it recurs, a minor procedure on the root prevents it from digging in again. We assess this at the first visit in Martorell, Barcelona (Teknon), or Igualada.

An ingrown toenail (onychocryptosis) appears when the edge of the nail digs into the skin, often on the big toe, causing pain, swelling, and sometimes infection. It is very common and, when properly treated, it is resolved —often definitively.

The key is not to settle for “just removing the piece that bothers you”: if it recurs, we assess a minor procedure on the root of the nail so that it does not grow back digging in.

Infected ingrown toenail: what to do (and what not to do)

When the edge of the toe becomes swollen, red, and discharges pus, the ingrown toenail has become infected. This is the time to treat it properly, not to endure it.

Until you can see us, you can:

• Wash the area with soap and water and dry it well.
• Wear wide or open footwear so it does not press on the toe.
• Do not trim the corner yourself: it often grows back digging in even deeper.

And what should not be done: poking, draining, or “operating” on yourself in the home bathroom. Home remedies —putting cotton under the nail, cutting a “V” in the middle, soaks with harsh products— do not solve the cause and often only delay the correct treatment, leaving the toe progressively worse.

A separate case: if you have diabetes, do not let it pass. In the diabetic foot, any wound on the foot warrants prompt professional attention.

Why the nail digs in again (and how we prevent it)

Many people come to the consultation with the same story: “I have it cut, it improves for a few weeks, and it comes back”. This is the consequence of only treating the piece that bothers you.

If the shape of the nail or skin causes it to dig in, trimming the tip changes nothing: the edge grows back along the same path. In mild or isolated cases, a well-performed chiropody and cutting guidelines are usually sufficient.

When it recurs, the solution involves acting on the root: a minor procedure with local anesthesia that removes only the portion of the edge that digs in, preserving the rest of the nail. It is outpatient, and you walk out. We explain it without rush at the first visit, in Martorell, Barcelona (Teknon), or Igualada.

How to cut your nails to avoid recurrence

The most affordable prevention is the correct cut:

• Cut straight across, without rounding the corners inward.
• Do not cut too short: let the edge extend slightly past the skin.
• Use a clean, good-quality nail clipper, not small scissors that crush.
• If the nail is thick or difficult to cut —for example due to nail fungus—, it is better for the podiatrist to treat it.

And a simple rule regarding footwear: if when you take off your shoe you have marks from your toes on your skin, that shoe is pushing the nail against the skin every day. And even so, if the nail keeps digging in, do not insist at home: each episode irritates the skin further and complicates the treatment.