Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when your nail grows into the soft tissue of your toe. A common condition, ingrown toenails affect both young and old, as well as men and women. If left untreated, an ingrown toenail can lead to a severe, hard-to-treat infection. But you can prevent this uncomfortable condition. Taking proper care of your feet avoids most ingrown nails. If that doesn’t work, call your podiatrist at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Queens, NY for an effective treatment.

Ingrown toenails can happen to anyone. In fact, they’re the reason that approximately one out of every five patients visit a foot doctor. An ingrown toenail occurs when your toenail’s side or corner grows down into the soft tissue of your toe.

Your ingrown toenail may produce only mild pain and discomfort. But sometimes, it progresses to an infection of the soft tissue. Vigilance regarding foot problems prevents infections. As always, prevention is the best cure, and treating a problem early keeps a problem from worsening. The Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Queens, NY, is a multi-specialty clinic with podiatrists on staff.

What Are the Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails?

The most common symptoms are usually mild. You may misinterpret them as fatigue from standing or exercising. These symptoms include:

• Your toe skin tone becomes red or darker than normal
• Swelling of the tissue around the nail
• Pain or tenderness along the side of the nail
• Heat or pus, indicating infection on your toe

The condition can become serious. Contact your primary care doctor as soon as possible if you notice:

• The infection seems to be spreading.
• The pain becomes extreme.
• You have a medical condition that affects blood flow to your feet, such as diabetes
• You have nerve problems, such as neuropathy.

The most significant complication from an untreated or poorly controlled ingrown toenail is the potential for an infection. Infections that enter the bone or bloodstream lead to gangrene. They may require surgery to remove infected or dead tissue.

The Causes and Prevention of Ingrown Toenails?

While anyone can get an ingrown toenail, certain conditions or behaviors increase your chances. Causes include:

• An unusual curvature of your toenails
• Malformations of your foot
• An injury to your foot or toe
• Poor toenail maintenance due to cutting the nail too short or not straight across
• Consistently wearing tight or pointed shoes that crowd your toes

You can take measures to minimize ingrown toenails. Practical tips include:

• Length. Trim your nails to a medium length. Nails that are too short or too long can cause problems.
• Angle. Trim your toenails straight rather than conforming to the shape of your toe.
• Shoes. Wear shoes that fit well and protect your feet. Your toes should have plenty of wiggle room.
• Inspection. If you have diabetes, closely monitor your feet for infections or ingrown toenails.

Home Remedies for Ingrown Toenails

Most of the time, you treat your ingrown toenails at home. Common remedies include:

• Taking over-the-counter pain medication to relieve the pain
• Soaking your feet in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes, three or four times a day, to soften the tissue, reduce the swelling and ease any tenderness
• Carefully inserting a small piece of cotton or dental floss under the edge of the toenail to encourage it grow above the tender flesh
• Applying antibiotic cream to the delicate area, wrapping a bandage around it for protection
• Reconsidering your footwear to provide open-air or a wider footbed for your toes

While you may be able to treat your ingrown toenail at home, sometimes the condition requires professional treatment. If your nail problems continue or you have medical conditions affecting blood flow or nerve sensitivity, such as diabetes, discuss your treatment options with a specialist at the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center.

How Your Doctor Treats Ingrown Toenails

Your Queens physician carefully examines your feet and the surrounding skin to diagnose ingrown toenails. After discussing the home remedies you tried and how your lifestyle may affect the condition, your doctor suggests one or more options:

• If you have a mild case, your podiatrist carefully lifts the nail’s edge and places a splint, some dental floss or some cotton underneath to help the nail grow above the skin. You must soak your toe and change the splint daily.
• If you’re feeling severe pain or seeing redness or pus, your doctor carefully trims or removes the section of your nail that’s grown into the skin. You need only local anesthesia for this procedure.
• If you’re bothered by ingrown toenails repeatedly, even with proper home care and treatment, your podiatrist suggests removing part of the nail using a laser, chemicals or another method. This prevents the nail from growing back in that area.
• If you have a noticeable infection with hot skin, swelling, redness and pus, your doctor recommends a topical or oral antibiotic to clear the infection and prevent it from spreading.

Your Queens podiatry specialist has the knowledge, training and tools to successfully deal with frustrating and uncomfortable ingrown toenails. If you’re bothered by toe pain from an ingrown toenail, contact the Medex Diagnostic and Treatment Center today to schedule an appointment.

We can help you find a doctor. Call us (718) 275-8900

Licensed by the state of New York, Medex is an Article 28 diagnostic and treatment center. Our physicians provide comprehensive care for patients of all ages in the Forest Hills, Queens area, for over 15 years. Start receiving expert care now by calling or scheduling an appointment online with one of the skilled specialists.

Ingrown Toenails — FAQ

1. What are ingrown toenails?
   Ingrown toenails occur when the edge or corner of a nail grows into the surrounding skin, causing pain, redness, and sometimes infection.

2. What causes ingrown toenails?
   Common causes include improper trimming (cutting nails too short or rounding corners), tight footwear, trauma to the toe, and genetic nail shape.

3. How can I tell if my toenail is ingrown?
   Symptoms include localized pain, swelling, redness along the nail edge, and sometimes drainage of pus if infected.

4. Are ingrown toenails dangerous?
   Mild cases are usually harmless if treated promptly. Untreated infections can spread, so seek care if redness and swelling worsen or if you have diabetes.

5. What home remedies help treat ingrown toenails?
   Soak your foot in warm, soapy water for 15–20 minutes, gently lift the nail edge, apply antibiotic ointment, and wear open‑toed or loose shoes.

6. When should I see a doctor for an ingrown toenail?
   If pain persists more than a few days, you notice signs of infection (increased redness, warmth, pus), or you have health conditions like diabetes.

7. How do doctors treat ingrown toenails?
   Treatments range from trimming and lifting the nail edge to partial nail removal. Severe or recurrent cases may require minor surgical removal of the nail border.

8. Will an ingrown toenail grow back after removal?
   If only the ingrown portion is removed and the nail matrix is preserved, the nail typically grows back normally; complete removal may prevent recurrence.

9. What is the recovery time after ingrown toenail surgery?
   Most patients heal within 1–2 weeks, keeping the area clean and bandaged and avoiding tight shoes until the site is fully healed.

10. How can I prevent ingrown toenails?
    Trim nails straight across (not rounded), wear properly fitting shoes and socks, and avoid trauma to the toes during activities.

11. Can ingrown toenails affect children?
    Yes. Children can develop ingrown nails from improper trimming or tight shoes; teaching proper nail care helps prevent issues.

12. Is it safe to lift an ingrown toenail at home?
    Gently lifting the nail edge with clean cotton or dental floss after soaking can help mild cases—but avoid forcing the nail to prevent further damage.

13. What are signs of an infected ingrown toenail?
    Look for increased pain, red streaks, swollen skin, warmth around the toe, and yellow or green discharge.

14. How do I care for an infected ingrown toenail at home?
    Continue soaks, apply antibiotic cream, keep the area covered with a sterile bandage, and change it daily; seek medical care if infection worsens.

15. Can fungal infections cause ingrown toenails?
    Fungal nails can thicken or deform the nail plate, increasing the risk of the nail edge digging into the skin.

16. Are there long‑term complications of untreated ingrown toenails?
    Yes—chronic infection, abscess formation, or permanent nail deformity can occur without proper treatment.

17. Do ingrown toenails recur?
    They can, especially if underlying causes (nail shape, trimming habits, tight shoes) are not addressed.

18. What footwear is best to prevent ingrown toenails?
    Choose shoes with a wide toe box, good arch support, and avoid high heels or tight‑fitting styles that compress the toes.

19. Can athletes avoid ingrown toenails?
    Yes—keep nails trimmed straight, wear moisture-wicking socks, choose well‑fitting athletic shoes, and inspect feet after sports activities.

20. Is there a permanent solution for chronic ingrown toenails?
    A minor procedure called a matrixectomy removes part of the nail root to prevent regrowth of the problematic edge, offering a long‑term cure for recurrent cases.