Ingrown toenails are a common condition in which the top or side of a toenail grows into soft tissue, resulting in pain, redness, swelling, and often infection. Ingrown toenails often affect the big toe.

You can always treat ingrown toenails yourself . If the pain is severe or widespread, a doctor can take steps to relieve discomfort and help you avoid complications from ingrown toenails .

If a person has diabetes or another condition that decreases blood flow to the feet, they are at greater risk for complications with ingrown toenails .

Symptoms of ingrown toenails

The symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:

• Pain and tenderness on one or both sides of the toenail
• Redness around the toenail
• Swelling around the toenail
• Infection of the tissue surrounding the toenail

Causes of ingrown toenails

The most common causes of ingrown toenails are:

• Wearing shoes that cause your toenails to be too close together
• Cutting nails too short or at an angle
• Hurt your toenails
• Having extremely curved toenails
• Leaving too much time between nail trims
• Not having good foot and/or footwear hygiene

When to see a doctor about ingrown toenails

• Consult your doctor if you have severe discomfort in your toe, pus, or redness that appears to be spreading.
• If you have diabetes or another condition that causes poor blood circulation in your feet.
• If you have “foot pain” or have an infection in that part of the body

Ingrown toenail prevention

• You can help prevent ingrown toenails by carefully choosing your shoes. The best shoes are " Boccio Therapeutic and Biomechanical Footwear. " They have ample room for the toes and space between the tip of the longest toe and the end of the shoe.

Your shoes should fit the shape of your feet without squeezing or putting pressure on any part of them. " Therapeutic and Biomechanical Boccia Footwear " is a shoe manufactured according to the individual needs of each patient, made with 100% natural, comfortable materials and specially designed for these types of situations.