You clip your nails straight across. You wear shoes that fit. For all intents and purposes, you do everything right, and yet, you’ve found yourself with another ingrown toenail. If this sounds familiar and your mom, dad, or sibling also deals with the same problem, you may have found yourself wondering: Are ingrown toenails hereditary?
The short answer? Kind of; it’s a bit more nuanced than a straight yes or no answer.
What Makes Ingrown Toenails Hereditary?
Ingrown toenails themselves aren’t passed down through DNA like eye color. What is inherited, though, are the physical characteristics that make ingrown toenails more likely to develop. It’s not the ingrown nail that gets passed down, but the circumstances that make it more likely for the nail to naturally grow into the skin.
Inherited Traits That Raise Your Risk
There are a few specific physical traits that tend to run in families and contribute to recurring ingrown toenails:
Nail shape
Naturally curved, pinched, or involuted nails are more likely to become ingrown, and the nail shape trait can be genetic. There’s a specific type called a “pincer nail” that curves inward on both sides, almost gripping the skin rather than lying flat.
Skin volume around the nail
The more skin you have surrounding the nail that can get pushed against it, the more likely the nail is to grow into that skin, and this characteristic can be inherited.
Toe shape
The shape of the toe itself makes it more susceptible to an ingrown toenail, which can be inherited as well. Wide toes and toes with unusual proportions can create pressure that, over time, can push a nail into the surrounding skin.
It’s estimated that about 20–30% of people who get ingrown toenails have a family member who also experiences the same problem. So if you have a parent who struggles with them, it’s not just a coincidence.
Is It Genetics, or Something You’re Doing?
This is where things get tricky. While genetics set the stage, daily habits can absolutely make things worse and drive the condition. Plenty of people with inherited nail shapes never develop an ingrown toenail because they take immaculate care of their feet. On the other hand, many people with no family history of ingrown toenails end up in the podiatrist’s chair because of avoidable habits.
Signs your ingrown toenails may be genetic:
- Multiple family members have recurring ingrown toenails
- Your nails are visibly curved or thick with no prior injuries
- You develop ingrown toenails despite trimming your nails correctly and wearing shoes that fit properly
- The problem keeps coming back in the same spot, no matter what you do
Signs your ingrown toenails are caused by habit or environment:
- You trim your nails too short or round the corners
- You wear shoes that crowd your toes
- You’ve had a recent toe injury or fungal nail infection
- You pull or pick your toenails off instead of cutting them cleanly
Realistically, it’s usually both. A genetic predisposition, along with one or two bad habits, is the most common scenario for chronic ingrown toenail sufferers.
How to Prevent Ingrown Toenails for Good
If ingrown toenails run in your family, you can still take steps to stop the cycle. Some of this is basic foot care we’ve covered in previous blogs, and some of it involves professional treatment.
At-Home Prevention Tips
- Trim your nails straight across, avoiding curving or rounding the corners
- Keep your nails at moderate length; avoid cutting down to the quick
- Wear shoes with enough room in the toe box
- Keep your feet clean and dry to reduce the risk of fungal infections, which can warp your nail shape over time.
- If you notice early redness or tenderness at the nail edge, don’t wait to address it.
When to See a Podiatrist
For people with recurring ingrown toenails, especially those tied to inherited nail shape, home remedies only go so far. A podiatrist can offer more lasting solutions, depending on the severity and frequency of the problem. Treatment options include a partial nail avulsion, which involves removing the portion of the nail that’s causing the issue, and a matrixectomy, where a chemical is applied to the nail root to prevent it from growing back. The most severe option, which is rarely necessary, involves removing the entire toenail.
Lasting Solutions for Hereditary Ingrown Toenails
Chronic ingrown toenails are frustrating, but they don’t have to be a permanent part of your life.
Whether yours are due to genetics, environmental factors, or both, Dr. Linde and our team at Foot Specialists of Birmingham can help determine what’s causing the problem and put a stop to it. Give us a call at 205-445-0661 or schedule an appointment today to get started on the road to relief!
