Pain and discomfort from an ingrown toenail can sneak up on you so you may not even be sure what the problem is until you see swelling, redness, and oozing on your toe. This condition can be extremely debilitating as the nail grows into your tender toes. Sometimes it can progress to an open sore, becoming an invitation for fungal toenails and bacterial infections.

Ingrown toenails can be prevented with these methods:

• Don’t cut your toenails too short—Ingrown toenails frequently start by nails that are cut too short, so be careful to keep them a little long and extended beyond the end of your toe.    

• Wear properly-fitted shoes—Your footwear should be properly-fitted and have a wide toe box so the toes are not pushed together. Side pressure can cause the toes to smash together, especially when you put weight on your foot. This extra pressure can cause an ingrown toenail.
• Treat flat feet—Overpronation (which is often the result of flat feet) is the condition where the center of gravity is towards the arches of the feet, applying more pressure on the insides of the feet. Poorly supported arches put extra stress on the toes and can contribute to the formation of ingrown toenails.

To stop the pain and discomfort from ingrown toenails, see your foot doctor for the best care.

At Your Next Step, we have a team of board-certified podiatrists who are dedicated to diagnosing and treating your unique foot and ankle issues. Whether you have a sports injury, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain or skin problems, our foot doctors Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich, and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen can help! They provide high-quality foot and ankle care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area at our offices conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, Woodlyn, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.