Ingrown Toenail (onychocryptosis)

Causes of ingrown toenail:

Ingrown toe nail is caused by toe nails that grow inside the skin either as a result of trauma or poor nail cutting. Some people have naturally wide or curved nails that are predisposed to developing ingrown toe nail problems. People of all ages can develop ingrown toe nail problems. We often see very young children as well as adults with this problem.

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Infected ingrown toenail:

An ingrown toe nail can often become infected with extra tissue growth around the big toe nail as the body tries to contain the foreign body reaction. This is known as hyper-granulation tissue. Pus, discharge and redness results due to infection and antibiotics may be needed as treatment as well as removing the ingrown nail if it persists.

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Symptoms of ingrown toenail:

The most common symptom of an ingrown toenail is pain, tenderness and swelling around your toenail, usually the big toe. If it becomes infected, pus may drain from the affected area.

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Diagnosing ingrown toenail:

Diagnosing an ingrown toenail is usually quite straightforward and is identified on inspection.

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