Does your nail grow into the skin and cause pain? (Ingrown Toenail) Let's talk about this!

Sometimes, a nail on our foot, especially on the big toe, gets stuck in the skin and causes unbearable pain, doesn't it? Not only when walking, but also when just standing, it hurts badly, swells, and sometimes even pus comes out. This is what we medically call `(Ingrown Toenail)`. This is actually a very common problem. So, if something like this has happened to you, or if you are interested in knowing about this, let's talk about it in detail.

What is an ingrown toenail?

Simply put, an ingrown toenail is a condition where a corner of our nail, especially a sharp part on the side of the nail, grows into the soft skin around the nail. It's like a nail going the wrong way. Most often, this problem affects our big toe. However, this condition can also occur in the nails of other toes. For a healthy person, this usually does not pose a major health risk, but the pain is extreme.

Who is more likely to develop an ingrown toenail?

Actually, anyone can develop this condition called `(Ingrown Toenail)`. However, some people are at a higher risk of developing it. Let's take a look at who they are:

• Adolescents: Sweating is common at this age, and it can also be caused by improper use of shoes.
• Athletes: This can happen because the legs are constantly under pressure when running and jumping, especially if there is a pressure on the toes.
• People with diabetes: Diabetes can damage the nerves in the legs and reduce blood flow. This can make even small wounds difficult to heal and increase the risk of infection.
• People with severe nerve damage in the leg or foot: Since these people do not feel pain properly, the problem may worsen without them even noticing that the nail is under the skin.
• People with poor blood circulation: If blood is not moving properly, wounds take longer to heal.
• People with a nail infection (Paronychia): If there is an infection of the skin around the nail, it can also cause an ingrown toenail.

Just think, out of every ten people who visit a doctor for a foot problem, about two go to get treatment for this `(Ingrown Toenail)` problem! It's that common.

Why do nails go into the skin like this? What are the reasons?

There are many reasons why a nail can become ingrown. Let's take a look at the main ones:

• Cutting nails incorrectly: This is the most common cause. If we cut our nails too short, or if we cut the corners of the nail to round the shape of the finger, there is a lot of room for the new nail to grow into the skin. The best way to cut your nails is to cut them straight across.
• Wearing tight shoes: There are some shoes that are tight in the front, don't have enough room for the toes, and are tight. If you continue to wear shoes like that, especially shoes with pointed toes, the pressure on the toenails can go into the skin.
• Tearing or breaking a corner of the nail: Some people break their nails by hand instead of cutting them. When they do this, the corner of the nail can become sharp and go into the skin instead of breaking properly.
• Toe trauma: This condition can also occur if the nail is damaged by something like hitting the toe, someone stepping on it, or something heavy falling on the toe.
• The natural shape of the finger: Some people have nails that are a little larger than their finger, or the skin around the nail simply grows over the nail. This can also happen to people like them. Sometimes, it can be hereditary.

How do you know if you have an ingrown toenail? What does it look like?

When your nail digs into your skin, the skin around it will become red and swollen . These symptoms are most noticeable right where the nail has dug into the skin. You may also feel a hard lump when you touch it.

What are the symptoms of a nail infection?

At first, it just feels like a hard lump, a little swelling, and it hurts to touch. But if the nail goes deeper into the skin and becomes injured there, germs like bacteria can enter there. That's when the area around the nail becomes infected. If that happens, you may see symptoms like these:

• Fluid or pus-like discharge from the finger.
• Feeling severe pain , sometimes to the point of not being able to walk.
• A dark red or sometimes black color spreading over the area.
• Increased swelling.
• When you touch your finger, it feels warmer than the other fingers .

If you have symptoms like these, it means that the condition is a bit serious and you should seek medical advice immediately.

Can this cause other complications?

In general, ingrown toenails rarely cause major complications in a healthy person. However, an infection can occur around the nail. Sometimes, the skin around the nail fold can thicken and scar like scarring can occur.

Very rarely, if this problem persists and is not treated properly, the infection can spread throughout the finger and affect the bone (bone infection). But this is a very rare condition, especially in people who do not have other medical conditions such as diabetes.

How do you know exactly what an ingrown toenail is?

Most of the time, you can recognize this yourself. You can assume that it is an ``Ingrown Toenail'' based on the symptoms of your toe (pain, swelling, redness), the way your toe looks, and the way it feels when you touch it.

If you go to see a doctor (this could be your family doctor, or a podiatrist - we call them a ``Podiatrist''), he will confirm this by examining your toe. He will look for the following:

• Is there skin growing over the nail?
• Is the area swollen, painful to the touch, red, or warm?
• Does it hurt even if you touch it gently?
• Does it look different from the other fingers?

What kind of tests are done for this?

Usually, no major tests are needed to diagnose an ingrown toenail. X-rays are not usually needed either.

However, if the nail is very infected and pus is coming out, the doctor may take a small sample of the pus and send it to a lab to see what type of bacteria is causing it (Bacteria culture). Sometimes a fungal infection may also be tested (Fungal culture). An X-ray may be needed if the infection is very severe and there is a suspicion that the bone may be affected.

What are the treatments that can be done at home? (Ingrown Toenail Self-Care)

Okay, now let's see what we can do at home for this annoying `(Ingrown Toenail)`. These simple steps will go a long way in controlling the infection and reducing the pain if there is one.

• Soak your feet in warm water: Soak your feet (especially the painful toes) in a bowl of lukewarm water for 15-20 minutes twice a day. You can also add a little Epsom salt or soap to the water. This will reduce swelling and soften the skin.
• Keep your feet dry: After soaking in water, dry your feet thoroughly. It's also important to keep your feet dry at other times of the day.
• Gently lift the corner of the nail: Once the skin is soft, gently lift the corner of the nail that is under the skin and place a small piece of cotton or dental floss between the nail and the skin. This can be a little difficult and painful, so you need to do it very carefully. Change this cotton/floss every day. This will help the nail grow above the skin without touching it.
• Antibiotic cream and a bandage: If there appears to be an infection around the nail, apply an antibiotic cream, available at the pharmacy, and cover it with a clean bandage.
• Wear shoes or sandals that are roomy: Avoid wearing shoes that are tight or constricting on your toes. Wear shoes or sandals that allow your toes to move freely whenever possible.
• Pain relievers: If the pain is unbearable, you can take a pain reliever like Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. However, it is best to take it as directed by your doctor.

Is it good to try to trim your nails at home?

This is very important: If your nail shows signs of infection (pus oozing, severe redness, severe pain), or if the nail has grown too deep into the skin and is in a serious condition, please do not cut, pull, or dig into the nail yourself. Doing so may worsen the condition and increase the infection.

Do you need to see a doctor?

If the pain and swelling do not subside after two or three days of home treatment, or if the condition seems to be getting worse (pain increases, redness spreads, pus appears), you should definitely see a doctor.

Also, if you have any of these conditions, it is safest to see a doctor as soon as you develop an ``Ingrown Toenail'':

• Diabetes
• Severe nerve damage in the legs
• Poor blood circulation to the legs
• A nail infection or other illness that lowers immunity.

In times like these, even a small thing has the potential to become a big problem.

How does a doctor treat this?

Most of the time, doctors treat a minor, mild ingrown toenail in the same way we do at home. That means soaking your foot, gently lifting the nail, and applying a cotton ball. But they do this much safer, using sterile and more professional instrumentation. It can usually be treated without surgery.

However, if the condition is severe, if the problem occurs frequently, or if home treatments do not help, the doctor may have to surgically remove part of the nail, or sometimes the entire nail. This is called a nail avulsion . The main thing is to stop the corner of the nail from turning inward and cutting into the skin.

During this surgery, the doctor will inject an anesthetic into your finger. This will prevent you from feeling any pain. The doctor will then cut out the affected part of the nail, or the entire nail if necessary. It can take several months (about 3-4 months) for the nail to fully grow back.

If this ``Ingrown Toenail'' problem persists on the same toe, the doctor can permanently destroy the nail root using a chemical (e.g. phenol). Then that side of the nail will not grow back.

How to prevent ingrown toenails?

Okay, now let's see what we can do to prevent this annoying `(Ingrown Toenail)` from happening. If you follow these habits, you can avoid this problem to a great extent:

• Soak your feet in warm water before cutting your nails: Before cutting your nails, soak your feet in lukewarm water for a few minutes. Or, cut your nails right after taking a shower. That way, your nails will be soft, easy to cut, and won't break.
• Keep your nail trimmer clean: Keep the nail trimmer you use clean.
• Don't tear your nails by hand: use a nail clipper to cut them properly.
• The most important thing: When cutting your nails, cut straight across. Don't try to round the corners of your nails to match the shape of your finger. It's best to have the corners slightly squared off.
• Wear shoes that fit well: Choose shoes that are loose and have plenty of room in front of your toes. Shoes should not be too tight or too big to move around inside.
• Avoid frequent injuries to the sides of your nails: Protect your feet when playing sports.
• If you have diabetes: Be sure to take special care of your feet, as your doctor tells you. Check your feet daily, and if you notice any sores or changes, tell your doctor right away. Never hesitate to seek medical advice.

What will happen after this situation? Will it get better?

In most cases, an ingrown toenail is not a serious health problem. If treated properly, it will heal completely. If you take good care of your feet, especially when trimming your nails, it will not happen again.

However, if you have other medical conditions that can cause foot problems, such as nerve damage or diabetes, it is very important to have your feet checked regularly by a doctor.

Let's remind ourselves again: What are the best times to see a doctor?

It's good to remind ourselves of these things again:

• If you have other complications with diabetes .
• If you see signs of infection (pus, drainage, unbearable pain, spreading redness).
• If you know that your legs have poor blood circulation .

In such cases, seek medical advice immediately. Also, if the pain in your finger does not subside after a few days despite home treatments (such as soaking it in warm water and applying topical antibiotic ointment), or if the condition worsens, you should definitely see a doctor.

What should you ask the doctor?

When you go to see a doctor for this `(Ingrown Toenail)` problem, don't forget to ask these things. Then you will also have a better understanding about this.

• "Doctor, is this nail of mine infected?"
• "What is the best treatment for this?"
• "Will I need surgery?"
• "What should I do to prevent it from happening again?"
• "Do I need to take any kind of medication for this?"
• "What is the best way to cut your nails so this doesn't happen again?"

The answers to these questions will be very important to you.

Finally, a few things to remember

This ``(Ingrown Toenail)`` is really annoying and painful. But this is a condition that can be easily cured in most cases. There is nothing to worry about.

The most important thing is not to panic when something like this happens, but to understand it properly and get the necessary treatment.

Simple things like soaking your feet in warm water and placing a piece of cotton under your nails can provide significant relief in a few days. But if that doesn't help, or if there are signs of infection, be sure to see a doctor. He or she will tell you exactly how to treat it.

To prevent this from happening, wear comfortable shoes with room for your toes, cut your nails straight across, and don't round the corners. With these simple steps, you can avoid this painful experience. Take care of your feet!

` Ingrown toenail, toenail, foot pain, nail infection, nail trimming, foot care, Podiatrist