6 Tips for Ingrown Toenails

One of the most common—and most uncomfortable—conditions our Manhattan patients come to us with at Goldsmith Podiatry is an ingrown toenail. These can have several different causes to be promptly treated to avoid severe pain and possible infection. Below are six tips for dealing with ingrown toenails.

1. Trim your nails regularly and properly. The correct way to cut your toenails is straight across using a pair of nail clippers or nail scissors. Do not cut nails so short that the skin can overlap the nail, making it easy to become ingrown. File rough edges but don’t make the sides of the nails curved or rounded as this also will direct the nail toward the skin in the nail bed.

2. Avoid tight socks, hose, and shoes. Anything you wear on your feet that forces your toes to press up against one another increases your risk of developing an ingrown nail. Shoes should have roomy, wide toe boxes. Limit the time in high heels as well because this forces feet forward and crams toes together.

3. Clean your feet daily and inspect your toenails. Ingrown nails may start by appearing a little red and swollen, but they will quickly become inflamed and tender or painful to the touch.

4. Act fast if a nail is becoming ingrown. Try soaking the nail in warm water and Epsom salts, and then, using a towel, try to push the nail out of the skin gently. You can repeat this for several days if you feel the nails are not growing further into the skin.

5. Don’t delay in seeking treatment. Contact our Upper West Side office at 212-877-1002, especially if the toe is hot or you have developed a fever.

6. Ask about ways to deal with chronic ingrown toenails. If you notice you are getting ingrown toenails with any frequency, talk to our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith and Dr. Rosanna Troia about treatment for this condition. For some patients, ingrown toenails are a genetic problem. We can perform a simple, in-office procedure where we numb the nail and remove the root to prevent re-growth of the ingrown portion permanently.

Contact us if you have additional questions about ingrown toenails.