If you have ingrown toenails — a common condition that happens when the edge of your toenail grows into the surrounding skin along the edge of your nail — don’t brush it off.
Athletes who run, play soccer, or play tennis are also prone to ingrown nails, but they can develop as a result of wearing too-tight shoes or trimming your nails incorrectly.
Officially known as onychocryptosis, this common issue often starts as mild discomfort but can quickly escalate into pain, redness, and swelling.
Without treatment, it may lead to serious complications, especially if you have diabetes or poor circulation.
Read on as Aamir Mahmood, DPM, Joseph Wilson, DPM, FACFAS, and the Momentum Foot & Ankle Clinic reveal why you shouldn’t ignore an ingrown nail.
Ignoring an ingrown toenail can turn a minor inconvenience into a major health problem. Left untreated, an ingrown toenail can:
Ingrown nails can become infected, which can cause pus, more pain, redness and swelling, and a fever. Once an infection develops, you’ll need antibiotics to clear the infection.
Untreated infections can spread to surrounding tissue or even your bone. In severe cases, they can spread to your bloodstream and cause sepsis, a severe and potentially life-threatening infection. This is more likely to happen in individuals with a compromised immune system, but it’s not worth the risk.
The bottom line is that ignoring an infected ingrown nail can make your treatment more complex and time-consuming.
Untreated, infected ingrown toenails can break down the surrounding skin and create an open wound. For individuals with diabetes, reduced blood flow and nerve damage can slow down the rate of healing — which can increase the risk of the wound developing into a serious diabetic ulcer.
These ulcers can lead to severe complications, including deeper infections and even the need for amputation if not treated promptly. If you have diabetes, this is true for any wound on your foot. Slow-healing wounds are simply harder to treat and are more at risk for developing complications like gangrene and amputation.
As an aside, about 80% of non-traumatic amputations are related to diabetic complications.
The longer you ignore an ingrown nail, the longer it takes for your toe to feel better. As soon as you spot the earliest sign of an ingrown nail, take action!
If you suspect you have an ingrown nail, you can try some self-care. Soak your feet in a warm Epsom salt foot soak for 20 minutes (a few times per day). After you soak your feet, carefully slide a piece of dental floss under your toenail to help separate your nail from the surrounding skin.
You can also apply an ointment, such as petroleum jelly or antibiotic ointment, and a bandage to keep the area clean and help prevent infection.
Wearing tight shoes can exacerbate the problem, so replace any tight shoes with roomier ones.
In some cases, mild ingrown nails resolve on their own in a few days with self-care measures. That being said, if you have diabetes, give us a call at the first sign of trouble.
Regardless of whether you have diabetes or not, you should call the Momentum Foot & Ankle location closest to you if you notice:
Dr. Mahmood and Dr. Wilson can examine your toe and recommend the right treatment for you. They may recommend professional nail trimming, a partial nail avulsion, or a matrixectomy with a special chemical applied to your nail base if the issue keeps coming back.
Matrixectomy with a chemical treatment has shorter healing timelines (about 7 days) than other ingrown nail treatments. This means that in just a few days, you can return to your normal routines without the pain of an ingrown nail.
Treatments like partial nail avulsion and matrixectomy are completed under local anesthetic, so you’re comfortable each step of the way.
We may also recommend antibiotics to clear any infections, wound care if an ulcer develops, and other steps you can take to mitigate future ingrown nails.
If you have an ingrown nail — or suspect you do — don’t wait for your symptoms to worsen. Give us a shout! The Momentum Foot & Ankle Clinic team treats ingrown nails in Michigan City, Chesterton, Indiana, and Lombard, Illinois.
Book your next appointment to get started.
