In this blog, our podiatrist from Foot Specialists of Birmingham, Dr. Linde, answers questions about the relationship between pregnancy and ingrown toenails and offers insightful advice on safely and effectively caring for your ingrown toenail when pregnant.
Related Article: Do Ingrown Toenails Go Away on Their Own or Should You See a Doctor?
Is It Common to Have an Ingrown Toenail When Pregnant?
Yes, it is common to develop an ingrown toenail while pregnant, though it is sometimes preventable for many patients. Skip down to read the “Pregnancy-Safe Ingrown Toenail Care” section in this article for further advice on practical preventative measures.
What Links Ingrown Toenails to Pregnancy?
Women often get ingrown toenails or suffer other ailments of the feet when they are pregnant because of two main factors.
- Edema/Swelling from Hormone Shifts: Many women who have experienced pregnancy will tell you that their feet were swollen for a significant portion of the time, due to how natural gestational hormone fluctuations can cause fluid retention and swelling throughout the mother’s body.
- Carrying Excess Weight: When you’re growing a whole new human being, you’re bound to gain some weight, which puts extra pressure on your legs, heels, ankles, feet, and toes.
When the toes are swollen or under excess pressure, the toenails are more likely to be pushed into the surrounding skin and held there long enough to grow into it and break the tissue, causing a painful ingrown toenail.
Pregnancy-Safe Ingrown Toenail Care
Preventative
You can’t do much to prevent swelling caused by hormonal shifts. Still, you can ensure you (or a helper, if you can’t reach your toes) are preventing ingrown toenails as best as possible by:
- Cutting your toenails properly: Straight across, leaving a sliver of the white nail growth reaching beyond your nail bed, so it isn’t too short or circular, which would be more likely to grow into the sides of your nail bed (i.e., becoming an ingrown toenail).
- Minimizing time spent on your feet: Although daily motion is essential for a healthy pregnancy, you need to ensure you’re not standing too often or putting excess weight on your feet for extended periods to prevent skin from swelling far into the sides of your toenails and potentially breaking skin.
Relieving Ingrown Toenail Pain
A great way to relax and soothe the stinging, throbbing pain of an ingrown toenail when you’re pregnant is to soak your feet in a warm water and Epsom salt bath. Epsom salt soaks are a non-toxic, pregnancy-safe treatment containing magnesium sulfate, a potent yet gentle natural anti-inflammatory agent that 1) thoroughly cleans the ingrown toenail wound and calms irritation, and 2) stimulates circulation to reduce swelling in the feet, ankles, and calves.
In Cases Involving Infection
If you are pregnant and you begin to experience new symptoms accompanying your existing ingrown toenail (pus-filled or oozing skin, localized swelling that is extra painful and hot to the touch develops, you have a fever, etc.), seek medical attention to treat the infection as soon as possible.
If this is your first ingrown toenail during pregnancy, you may be able to get adequate treatment for the infection by seeing an urgent care or “doc-in-a-box” clinic. Often, an existing ingrown toenail infection requires treatment with or without a prescription for antibiotics. However, if you experience an onset or continuation of a recurring ingrown toenail problem during your pregnancy, you’ll want to visit a podiatrist for long-term solutions.
Considerate, Individualized Podiatry Care for All Patients
The Foot Specialists of Birmingham is a compassionate team of medical professionals specializing in podiatry, a field focused on correcting mechanical function and treating pain and other ailments of the foot, ankle, and toes. We provide personalized, comprehensive, and insightful foot care for all patients that aligns with their health goals and overall wellness.
When it comes to pregnant patients, we take a thoughtful, ultra-careful approach, mindful of their heightened need for safety, comfort, and support throughout all examinations, treatments, and procedures.
Whether pregnant or not, we are passionate about finding every patient a solution that ends their pain or discomfort. Take the first step to getting back on your feet, pain-free: contact us today and make an appointment with the Foot Specialists of Birmingham!
