Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenails are an incredibly common malady, with more than 3 million cases per year in the US alone.

Thankfully, minor cases can usually heal on their own over the course of time as the nail gradually grows out. However, severe cases or those that have become infected require professional medical care in order to resolve the problem.

It’s important to be aware of the signs of an infected ingrown nail, such as increasing pain and swelling, redness, discharge or warmth around the area.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s best to seek medical advice immediately so that your ingrown toenail can be treated properly, and healing can begin.

Treatment:

The condition usually occurs in the big toe and is caused by a corner or side of a toenail growing into the flesh. Symptoms include pain, redness, and swelling.

Treatment for ingrown toenails can involve antibiotics and removal or lifting of the affected nail by a medical professional–it is usually self-diagnosable and doesn’t require lab tests or imaging.

Ingrown toenails can take anywhere from weeks to months for full resolution, though symptoms will start dissipating immediately upon proper treatment. People with diabetes have an increased risk for complications from an ingrown toenail.