An ingrown toenail often starts with a sharp pinch at the toenail’s corner whenever you put weight on the toe. As the day goes on, that area becomes tender, and routine tasks such as the wearing of covered shoes or walking on firm ground start to feel uncomfortable. Over time, the skin surrounding the toenail becomes swollen and sore, and even the slightest touch can feel unexpectedly painful.
As this soreness increases, many would attempt what’s commonly known as “bathroom surgery”. This usually involves using a nail clipper to trim the toenail’s corner or lift it slightly in the hope of easing the pressure. This idea sounds feasible because the pain seems to stem from one exact point. However, this introduces bacteria into already irritated skin, and this can lead to paronychia with more swelling, redness, and discharge.
Because these changes show how quickly a simple irritation can become an infection, recognising them early helps you avoid unnecessary pain and know when proper care is needed. With that context, the next section explains the key symptoms of an ingrown toenail and how they typically develop.
Symptoms of Ingrown Toenails
Once the toenail’s edge begins pressing into the surrounding skin, the changes tend to follow a sequence that’s easy to spot. The following symptoms will help you gauge whether the problem is still mild or already moving toward infection:
- Curving of the Toenail’s Edge – The corner of the toenail bends inward and starts pushing into the skin at the side of the toe.
- Local Tenderness and Swelling – The skin around the toenail becomes sore, puffy, and increasingly sensitive to touch.
- Redness, Warmth, and Discharge – As irritation progresses, the area might turn red, feel warm, and in some cases release pus.
- Pain with Enclosed Footwear – Covered shoes create pressure over the affected corner, leading to sharper or throbbing discomfort when walking.
- Bleeding along the Toenail’s Border – Because the irritated skin is now tender and fragile, it might split and cause light bleeding around the toenail.
- Pyogenic Granuloma – In more advanced cases, fragile overgrown tissue can form at the toenail’s fold, often appearing as a small red bump that bleeds easily.
Causes of Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails occur when the edge presses into the surrounding skin and causes irritation. This usually develops when the toenail’s growth path changes due to trimming habits, pressure from footwear, or shifts in the nail bed over time. Once the skin becomes irritated, it stays sensitive and the issue can return easily.
What Contributes to Irritation and Inward Growth?
- Cutting toenails with rounded corners encourages the edge to grow inward and press into the surrounding skin.
- Tight or narrow shoes squeeze the toes and push the edges against the surrounding skin.
- Stubbing the toe or having it stepped on can change how the toenail grows and increase the chance of it becoming ingrown.
- Peeling or picking at the toenails damages the nail bed and surrounding skin, making abnormal growth more likely.
- Over trimming or reshaping during pedicures can disrupt the toenail’s natural growth pattern and lead to recurrent issues.
- Sweaty feet or prolonged moisture soften the skin around the nail fold, making it easier for the edge to press into it.
- Fungal nail infections can cause a build-up of dead skin under the nail, causing the nail to thicken and grow inwards
Who Carries Higher Baseline Risk?
- People with naturally curved or genetically predisposed toenails, as certain shapes make the nail margin sit closer to the skin fold.
- Adolescents and young adults, since increased perspiration softens the skin and makes inward growth more likely.
- Athletes and physically active individuals, where repetitive pressure or micro toenail trauma increases susceptibility.
- Individuals with diabetes or poor circulation, because the skin becomes more reactive and slower to heal, increasing the risk of complications.
Need Help? See A Podiatrist Today
Managing and Preventing Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails tend to worsen when pressure, moisture, and irritation continue around the nail fold, which is why early management helps reduce pain and lowers the chance of recurrence. How the toenail grows, how often the toe is stressed, and whether any infection is present all shape the approach, and certain cases settle quickly while others require more structured care.
To start, the aim is to calm the area, ease discomfort, and reduce direct pressure through the painful corner of the toenail:
- Antiseptic foot soaks to settle irritation and reduce the chance of infection.
- Wound care when there is redness, discharge, or broken skin around the nail fold.
- Nail spike trimming to ease immediate pain when the edge is pressing into the skin.
- Nail bracing to guide the toenail into a straighter growth pattern over time.
- Custom foot orthotics to reduce load on the big toe for people whose foot mechanics create repeated pressure.
- Antibiotics, prescribed by a doctor for confirmed infection, to prevent further spread of bacterial involvement.
When episodes keep recurring or the skin stays sensitive, small daily habits often make a noticeable difference:
- Avoid tight footwear that pushes the edge into the skin.
- Trim toenails straight across instead of curving the corners downward.
- File any sharp edges after trimming so they don’t catch on or scratch the skin as the toenail grows.
As the irritation settles and the toenail grows out with more clearance at the corners, walking usually feels more natural and the sensitivity gradually subsides. However, if the problem continues to flare or fails to improve with these measures, a podiatrist might recommend a minor procedure such as a partial nail avulsion procedure to remove the section of nail that keeps pressing into the skin to help the area heal without ongoing irritation.
Have Your Ingrown Toenail Assessed at Straits Podiatry
When an ingrown toenail keeps flaring up or starts affecting everyday comfort, it helps to have it examined early. At Straits Podiatry, we begin by assessing the toenail’s shape, the depth of irritation, and whether any infection is present, while also checking how your footwear, activity levels, and foot mechanics are influencing the problem.
Once the assessment is clear, we’ll recommend a plan suited to how the toenail is growing and how sensitive the skin has become. This can include conservative care, nail bracing, or a partial nail avulsion procedure when needed, along with guidance on trimming habits and footwear choices to reduce recurrence. Speak with our team or book a consultation for an assessment and a personalised approach to resolve your ingrown toenail pain.
Media Feature: Ingrown Nail - Let’s Talk About Health
Frequently Asked Questions About Ingrown Toenails
How is an ingrown toenail diagnosed?
A podiatrist diagnoses an ingrown toenail through a physical examination of the toenail’s edge and surrounding skin, looking for redness, swelling, tenderness, or discharge. They’ll also ask about recent trimming habits, footwear, trauma, or recurring episodes to understand what triggered the problem. This assessment clarifies severity and guides the most suitable management approach.
What are the symptoms of an infected ingrown toenail?
An infected ingrown toenail often presents with increasing pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and sometimes pus around the nail fold. The skin might look puffy or overgrown, and pressure from shoes becomes more uncomfortable. These changes signal that the irritation has progressed into infection, and seeing a podiatrist early helps prevent the condition from worsening.
What is a nail avulsion procedure?
A nail avulsion procedure removes the part of the toenail that keeps growing into the skin, easing pain and allowing the area to heal. It’s done under local anaesthesia and is usually recommended for severe or recurring cases. Only the problematic section is removed in most situations, and recovery focuses on keeping the toe clean and protected while the skin settles.
Is it okay to dig out an ingrown toenail myself?
Digging out an ingrown toenail on your own is not advisable because it can introduce bacteria, worsen the pain, and injure the skin or nail bed. These attempts often push the toenail deeper and lead to infection. Professional care by a podiatrist is safer and avoids complications that prolong recovery.
