Toenails look fairly harmless, but they can cause extreme pain if they become ingrown. Ingrown nails can be so painful that it's difficult to wear shoes or walk comfortably. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to prevent them. Family Foot and Ankle Center, your podiatrists in Reston, Fairfax, Ashburn and Mclean, share some important information on ingrown toenail prevention.

What are ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails occur when the edge of a nail grows into the skin surrounding it. They often occur on big toes, but can happen on any of your toenails. If the nail continues to grow into the skin, pain, redness and infection can occur.

What causes the problem?

Ingrown toenails can occur due to the following reasons:

• Wearing shoes that are too tight
• Cutting toenails too short or not cutting them in a straight line
• Nail injuries
• Fungal infections that thicken toenails
• A family history of ingrown toenails (Curved toenails tend to run in some families.)

How can I prevent ingrown toenails?

Clipping toenails in a straight line is the most important step you can take to prevent ingrown toenail pain. When you round the corners of the nails, it's much easier for them to grow into your skin. It's also important to wear comfortable shoes, treat toenail fungus as soon as you notice it, and examine your feet every day for signs of ingrown nails. If you find any problems, call your Reston, Fairfax, Ashburn and Mclean podiatrists right away!

What do I do if I have an ingrown toenail?

Ingrown toenails can be treated at home in the early stages. If you notice that your toenail has started to grow into your skin, use a nail file to gently pry the nail free. Soak your foot in warm water for 15 minutes to reduce swelling, then place a small piece of cotton under the nail. The cotton will prevent the nail from growing into the skin again.

It's also a good idea to apply an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. See a foot doctor if the nail is too deeply embedded and you can't remove the edge yourself or you have severe pain or signs of an infection.

Do you have an ingrown toenail or any other foot ailment? Call the Reston, Fairfax, Ashburn and Mclean Podiatrists at Family Foot and Ankle Center at (703) 723-2719 and schedule an appointment today. Don't let an ingrown toenail keep you off your feet!

How to Avoid Pesky Ingrown Toenails

An ingrown toenail is a common and painful condition of the toes that occurs when one or both sides of the nail break through and grow into the skin of the toe rather than over it. As a result, the irritated skin becomes painful, red and swollen. Fortunately, when detected early, an ingrown can generally be treated effectively from home. But when left untreated, an ingrown toenail is prone to infection as bacteria can enter the penetrated skin. Professional treatment from your podiatrist will be necessary to treat the infection. 

Self-Care for Ingrown Toenails

• Soak your foot in warm water several times a day to relieve swelling and soreness
• Wash and dry your foot to keep the affected area clean 
• Wear comfortable footwear with a wide toe box, or sandals when weather permitting
• Avoid cutting the nail as this can make the condition worse
• Over-the-counter medications may temporarily ease the pain, but don’t heal the underlying problem

Preventing Ingrown Toenails is Easy

• Wear proper fitting shoes and socks that allow for adequate toe room 
• Trim your toenails straight across and avoid cutting them too short
• Keep your feet clean and dry as this prevents bacteria-formation

Do you have painful, tender ingrown toenails that make simply walking difficult? Even if they're not that bad yet, leaving ingrown nails untreated can lead to trouble getting around, or even the full removal of the nail.

At Family Foot and Ankle Center, you'll find final foot relief for your pesky ingrown toenail symptoms.Sometimes, ingrown toenails are caused by people trimming their toenails too short or too much shoe pressure from ill-fitting footwear. But other common causes of ingrown toenails include:

• injury
• fungus infection
• heredity
• poor foot structure

Regardless of how the infection begins, ingrown toenails can become painful in a hurry, first feeling swollen and tender before manifesting themselves as painful, red, and infected as surrounding skin begins to grow over the affected nail.

Check out a few tips on ingrown toenail prevention below, followed by do-it-yourself relief options offered by the helpful podiatrists at Family Foot and Ankle Center:

Ingrown Toenail Prevention

Keep your feet free from ingrown toenail infections by:

• Trimming toenails from end-to-end-- without rounded corners.
• Only wearing footwear that fits properly.
• Washing your feet regularly, particularly after engaging in an activity that gets them dirty.

Ingrown Toenail Relief

You can provide relief for already incurred ingrown toenails by remembering to:

• Soak your feet in warm, soapy water at least twice daily.
• Stop wearing ill-fitting footwear.
• Take prescribed antibiotics-- some medication can be of aid in the fight against ingrown toenail infections.
• Come see your trusted podiatrist, who might suggest surgical removal of some or all of the ingrown toenail in severe cases.

Regardless of why or how your ingrown toenails came to be, the painful results are often the same - but they don't have to be! Trust the gentle hands of your podiatrists at Family Foot and Ankle Center, right here Reston, VA. We also offer convenient locations in Fairfax , McLean, and Ashburn. Give us a call at (703) 723-2719 today, for full foot relief that starts now!

Ingrown toenails, also known as onychocryptosis, can be embarrassing, annoying and painful. This common condition occurs when the surrounding skin on one or both sides of the nail grows over the edges of the nail, or when the nail itself penetrates the skin. As the nail digs into the skin, redness, swelling, and pain are often the result.

People develop ingrown toenails for various reasons. Poor nail-trimming is the most common cause, as this encourages the skin to fold over the nail. Other causes include trauma, such as stubbing a toe, or skin conditions, such as fungal infections or nails that are simply too large. In some cases, the condition may even be inherited. Poor-fitting shoes generally aggravate the condition, making it worse.

Many cases of ingrown toenails may be prevented by:

• Wearing well-fitted shoes and socks
• Protecting feet from trauma when possible
• Trimming toenails straight across and avoiding repeated trimming of the nail borders
• Keeping feet clean and dry to prevent infection

If an infection is not suspected of your ingrown, it can usually be safely treated from home by soaking your foot in warm water. Avoid "bathroom surgery" and repeated cutting of the nail as this will only make the condition worse.

When attempts to reduce your symptoms from home fail, or when pain, inflammation, swelling or discharge accompany your ingrown, the toenail is most likely infected and should be treated by a podiatrist at our Fairfax office. People with diabetes, nerve damage or poor circulation should always seek care immediately if an ingrown nail is detected, regardless of the severity.

A podiatrist can examine the affected toe and determine the best treatment for your condition. For an infection, an antibiotic may be prescribed. Other treatments may involve trimming or removing the infected nail with a minor in-office surgical procedure.

Ingrown toenails may be annoying, but rest assured that they can easily be prevented and treated with the help of your podiatrist. If you think you have an ingrown toenail, visit Family Foot and Ankle Center for quick and easy treatment.