Ingrown Toenails Causes and Symptoms · Foot Specialist in Midtown Manhattan NYC

Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are the result of the corners or edges of your toenails growing into the skin of your toe. Ingrown toenails most commonly occur on your big toe. This problem affects people of all ages and should be examined by a foot doctor in New York to prevent any complications.

Ingrown nails can be very painful and may become infected when they are sticking deep into the skin.  If you try to dig the nail out, you may cut your skin and potentially get an infection that could affect the bone. All symptoms should always be evaluated with a thorough consultation and examination by your podiatrist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan to exclude any underlying serious condition.

What Causes Ingrown Toenails?

Ingrown nails can be caused by other toenail problems, such as fungal nails. Your foot doctor in New York sees many patients with this issue, especially in those with sweaty feet. Toenails can thicken due to a variety of factors, and this makes them more likely to become ingrown.

Common causes of an ingrown toenail that good podiatrists see regularly include:

• Curved or abnormally shaped toenails;
• Poor cutting techniques — avoid rounding off your toenails; cut straight across, which makes it more difficult for the toenail to curve and grow into your toe skin;
• Injury to your toes;
• Tight-fitting footwear;
• Poor foot hygiene — keep your feet dry and clean;
• Genetic predisposition, such as if your parents have had ingrown toenails;
• Poor posture places undue pressure on your toes.

Certain athletic activities may make you prone to developing ingrown toenails. These strenuous activities include sports like soccer or kickball, where you’re repeatedly kicking a ball. Additional sports at high risk for ingrown toenails common to your foot doctor in New York are football, ballet, kickboxing, and basketball. Sudden stops put a strain on your toes if you’re not wearing loose footwear.

Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails can be painful, and the pain typically worsens in stages. Visit a best-in-class podiatrist in NYC as soon as these symptoms appear so you can avoid further complications. The early symptoms of ingrown toenails include:

• Fluid build-up on your toe
• Tender, hard or swollen skin next to the affected toenail
• Pain when putting pressure on the toe

If your toe becomes infected, you should schedule an appointment with a good podiatrist as soon as possible. Infected symptoms may include:

• Overgrown skin on the affected toe
• Swollen, throbbing, red toe
• Bleeding
• Pain
• Pus oozing from the affected toe

A visit to your foot doctor in New York can help you find effective treatments for these symptoms. Don’t delay if you’re experiencing these advanced pains and swelling symptoms. Get relief.

Diagnosing Ingrown Toenails

A good podiatrist can diagnose your ingrown toenail with a physical examination. It is especially important to see a good New York podiatrist of Manhattan podiatry center if you have diabetes because of an increased risk for infection. If you have poor circulation, also a consequence of diabetes, you’re at a higher risk of developing ingrown toenails. Diabetic foot examinations should be performed at least once a year with a foot doctor in New York. In some cases, X-rays may be required if the following conditions are present:

• Severe pain;
• Ingrown toenail caused by an injury;
• A history of chronic infections;
• Recurrent ingrown nails.

Your foot doctor in New York may also ask about your general health to determine if you fall into a high-risk category, such as having diabetes or poor circulation. A good podiatrist also asks about your family history and a possible genetic predisposition.

How to Prevent Ingrown Toenails?

A mild ingrown nail can often be prevented by trimming your nail straight across rather than angled at the edges. Wearing shoes with a larger toe box can also prevent ingrown nails. If the ingrown nail shows no sign of infection (redness, swelling, pain, pus), you can trim the nail without digging into the skin until you can make it to a foot doctor in New York. If your toenail has pierced the skin or shows signs of infection, please schedule an appointment with a foot doctor in New York. Typical signs of infection include pus, toe warmth, swelling, or redness.

Seeing a good podiatrist is important in the early stages of having an ingrown nail. Preventative care is what medicine has focused on in recent years, and we would like to ensure your nail issue does not worsen to the point that you may need antibiotics or total nail removal.

How to Fix Ingrown Toenail?

If conventional treatments fail to solve your ingrown toenail issues, you may need a surgical procedure from a good podiatrist. Your foot doctor in New York may have to surgically remove part of your toenail or even your complete toenail. Your procedure is determined by how bad your ingrown toenail is and how many times it has needed treatment.

After a local injection for the pain, the surgical procedure can proceed. Your foot doctor in New York then removes part or all of your toenails. The surgical procedure is known as a nail avulsion. A matrixectomy can be performed to prevent part of the nail from growing back. A good podiatrist of Podiatry in New York will explain the type of procedure that’s right for you.

Complications from Ingrown Toenails

Untreated ingrown toenails can cause infections in your bone. This leads to open sores, foot ulcers, and a decrease in blood flow to the infected part of your foot. Additional consequences include tissue decay and death of the tissue in the area of the infection.

Diabetes issues can make foot infections even more serious. If you have diabetes, even a tiny cut on your toe from an ingrown toenail can quickly become infected. Diabetes also affects nerve sensitivity and the amount of blood flow to your infected toe. If you have diabetes, see a foot doctor in New York.

Do you have any questions about Ingrown Toenails treatment in NYC? Would you like to schedule an appointment with an internationally recognized, top NYC Podiatrists and foot doctors at Manhattan Foot Specialists?  Please contact our state-of-the-art facility for a consultation.