An ingrown toenail results from a toenail growing into the skin of your toe rather than past the nail plate/bed as usual. Even though your toe makes up a small fraction of your body, the pain and inflammation can become overwhelming and limit your mobility.
Many patients seek treatment with our podiatrists for ingrown toenails, and often, they report a recurrence. If you, like these patients, are asking, “Why do I keep getting ingrown toenails?” you have come to the right place.
We’re known as the Foot Specialists of Birmingham for a reason (our expertise in foot health!), and today, we’re here to answer your questions and more. Just keep reading!
Why Do I Keep Getting Ingrown Toenails?
For many reasons, ingrown toenails can become a recurrent ailment. Let’s explore each in detail:
Genetics and Lifelong Health Issues
When troubleshooting chronic ingrown toenails with your podiatrist, it is essential to disclose your personal and family medical history. It may not seem important, but many health conditions actually lead to foot conditions as secondary symptoms.
For some patients, recurring ingrown toenails are the inevitable result of genetics or a symptom of another health issue, like diabetes. In special cases like these, you’ll want to consult with your primary care physician and a podiatrist. The key to troubleshooting and improving your ingrown toenails may be as simple as treating the primary issue.
Ill-Fitting Shoes
Have you considered that maybe your shoes are to blame when you ask, “Why do I keep getting ingrown toenails?” Whether your shoes are too small, have a small toe box, or otherwise crowd your toes, they may be the culprits, as your toenails’ growth is impeded and redirected.
Swap out your ill-fitting shoes for some with plenty of space, proper arch support, and breathability, and your feet should be in better condition.
Improper Toenail Trimming
Believe it or not, there’s a correct way to trim your toenails, and it can make or break a recurrent ingrown toenail issue.
Cutting at an uneven angle, ruggedly, or creating too curved of corners will encourage your toenails to grow sideways and into the tender tissue on the sides of your nailbed. For healthy toenails, cut straight across. Also, avoid cutting them too short, or you risk injuring the nail bed and increasing your risk of ingrown toenails.
At the same time, your toenails can also be too long. Keep them trimmed so that the white part at the top of the nail is only about 0.04–0.08 inches long.
Unruly, Curly Toenail Growth
Remember how we said to keep your toenails trimmed properly? That’s the only way to prevent ingrown toenails from forming if your toenails naturally curl in any direction instead of growing straight and forward. If you don’t like the feeling of nail clippers, you can also use a nail file. Just ensure you don’t shape the nails into a smooth curve, which will further encourage curling.
Injury to Toe or Toe Nail
Many conditions related to feet and toes correlate with injury. Ballet dancers, for example, repeatedly strain on their toes, balancing their weight on them. As a result, they’re prone to suffer various conditions such as high arches, deformed toes, and, of course, recurrent ingrown toenails.
You may not be a ballet dancer, but if you’re like most people, you’ve stubbed your toe a fair share of times. Stubbing your toe once isn’t the same as breaking it, but if you stub the same toe repeatedly, it will gradually suffer the trauma.
At-Home Ingrown Toenail Treatment
Ingrown toenails can be soothed and treated at home by cutting the nail with clean clippers, keeping the area clean by soaking in soap and warm water, and applying antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. If the toenail becomes infected, please consult your primary care doctor as soon as possible.
Do I Need Ingrown Toenail Surgery?
If your ingrown toenail is not recurring in the same part of the same toe, you don’t necessarily need to have surgery. You only need it if the toenail becomes infected or it is too painful or difficult to cut the nail yourself.
We can intervene with a procedure called partial nail plate avulsion for ingrown toenails that recur in the same place every time. In this procedure, we cut the problem-causing portion of the toenail down to the nailbed, which prevents it from growing back.
We’ll Help You Put Your Best Foot Forward
Thanks for reading today’s blog post on chronic ingrown toenails. If your ingrown toenail pain is relentless, even after you’ve tried wearing the right shoes and practiced proper trimming, your primary care physician may not be able to lead you to the relief you need. Don’t worry, though—our podiatrists will gladly determine the issue!
Please contact our staff at Foot Specialists of Birmingham today! We’ll gladly help you set up an appointment with our incredible team of podiatry experts and nursing assistants who are certified by the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants.
