Ingrown nail occurs when a sharp corner of the toenail digs into the skin at the end of or side of the toe. Here are the possible causes and a fantastic, trouble free and easy treatment.
Pain and inflammation at the spot where the nail curls into the skin occurs first. Later, the inflamed area can begin to grow extra tissue or drain yellowish fluid. Ingrown toenails are common in adults but are more common in men than in women. The main cause of “ingrown nail” is wearing unsuitable footwear, including shoes with inadequate toe-box room and tight stockings that apply top and or side pressures. Improper cutting of any nail may cause the nail to cut into the side-fold skin from growth and impact, whether the nail is “ingrown” or not. The nail bends inwards or upwards depending on the angle with which it has been cut.
The most common place for ingrown nails is in the big toe, but ingrowths can occur on any nail. Ingrown nails can be avoided by cutting nails straight across; nails should not be cut along a curve, nor should they be cut too short. The important thing to avoid is cutting the nail shorter than the flesh around it. It may not be so critical that the nails be cut perfectly ‘straight across’ as this may imply that they be squared at the corners. Sharp square corners may be uncomfortable and cause snagging on socks. Proper cutting leaves the leading edge of the nail free of the flesh, precluding it from growing into the toe. Filing of the corner is reasonable.
Ingrown Toenail Causes
- Tight-fitting shoes or high heels cause the toes to be compressed together and pressure the nail to grow abnormally.
- Improper trimming of toenails can cause the corners of the nail to dig into the skin. Nails should be trimmed straight across, not rounded.
- Disorders such as fungal infections of the nail can cause a thickened or widened toenail to develop.
- Either an acute injury near the nail or anything that causes the nail to be damaged repetitively (such as playing soccer) can also cause an ingrown nail.
- If a member of your family has an ingrown toenail, then you are more likely to develop one, too. Some people’s nails are normally more rounded than others, which increases the chance of developing ingrown nails.
Band-Aid method
This method is non-invasive and reportedly has a high rate of success. The theory is that by physically pulling the side of the nail bed away from the nail, one can decrease pressure while simultaneously improving drainage and drying of the wound. Digit should be clean and un-oiled by ordinary soap for best adhesion of band-aid. The pulling is achieved with an ordinary or elastic adhesive bandage. A user of this method sticks one side of the bandage securely to the immediate area of the nail bed, pulling suitably as the bandage is wound around the digit at an angle so that the other end overlaps the first, but does not cover the wound itself. Thus the second side secures the first and keeps it from coming loose under the tension.
