An ingrown toenail might seem like a small problem — until you're limping through your day, avoiding shoes, and wondering why your toe feels like it’s on fire. Ingrown nails occur when part of the nail presses into the surrounding skin and eventually pierces through it, often leading to pain, swelling, and sometimes infection.
Thankfully, they’re treatable — and even preventable — with the right care.
🔍 Signs and Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails
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Pain or tenderness along the side of the toenail
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Red, swollen skin around the nail
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Broken skin or bleeding
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Clear or milky drainage from the area
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Heat and inflammation (sometimes mistaken for infection)
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In severe cases, the entire toe may swell
⚠️ Common Causes
Many ingrown toenails are caused by improper nail cutting, but there are several contributing factors, including:
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Cutting nails too short or not straight across
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Leaving sharp corners on the nail
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Trauma or injury to the nail
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Fungal nail infections
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Excess swelling (edema) or obesity
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Involuted (curved or horseshoe-shaped) nails
🛠️ Treatment Options
As the saying goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — and that’s especially true for ingrown nails.
✅ Home Care for Mild Cases:
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Always cut your toenails straight across
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Gently pack sterile gauze beneath the nail edge to help lift it away from the skin
⚠️ For Moderate to Severe Cases:
You should consult your foot care professional. A podiatric nurse or doctor can assess the severity and provide safe, effective treatment options.
🧑⚕️ What Can a Foot Care Nurse Do?
A trained Foot Care Nurse can offer non-invasive solutions like:
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Nail bracing or banding to gently retrain the nail to grow straight
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Ongoing support for prevention and nail health
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Referrals for medical nail removal if needed
If removal is necessary, we recommend seeing a Podiatrist — someone skilled in surgical nail care to ensure it’s done safely and correctly.
👣 Ready for Relief?
Ingrown nails can be corrected permanently and painlessly with the right treatment. Don’t let it linger — your feet will thank you.
📞 Book your appointment today
Call: 250-929-3206
Email: booking@longevityservices.ca