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Ingrown Toenail

By

Chris G. Adigun

, MD, Dermatology & Laser Center of Chapel Hill

Reviewed/Revised Dec 2021 | Modified Sep 2022
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Topic Resources

An ingrown toenail is a condition in which the edges of the nail grow into the surrounding skin.

An ingrown nail can result when a deformed toenail grows improperly into the skin or when the skin around the nail grows abnormally fast and engulfs part of the nail. Wearing narrow, ill-fitting shoes and trimming the nail into a curve with short edges rather than straight across can cause or worsen ingrown toenails. Toenails should be cut straight across and not into a curve with short edges.

Ingrown nails may cause no symptoms at first but eventually may become painful, especially when pressure is applied to the ingrown area. The area is usually red and may be warm. If not treated, the area is prone to infection. Once infected, the area becomes more painful, red, and swollen. Pus may accumulate under the skin next to the nail (an infection of the cuticle called paronychia Acute Paronychia Acute paronychia is a bacterial infection of the nail fold. In acute paronychia, bacteria (usually Staphylococcus aureus or streptococci) enter through a break in the skin resulting from... read more Acute Paronychia ) and drain.

For mildly ingrown toenails, the doctor can gently lift the edge of the nail out from under the surrounding skin and place sterile cotton under the nail until the swelling goes away. Sometimes a flexible tube is inserted between the nail and nail fold (the fold of hard skin at the sides of the nail plate where the nail and skin meet) instead of cotton.

If an ingrown nail requires further attention, the doctor usually numbs the area with a local anesthetic (such as lidocaine), then cuts away and removes the ingrown section of nail. The inflammation can then subside, and the ingrown nail usually does not return.

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Generic Name Select Brand Names
7T Lido, Akten , ALOCANE, ANASTIA, AneCream, Anestacon, Aspercreme with Lidocaine, Astero , BenGay, Blue Tube, Blue-Emu, CidalEaze, DermacinRx Lidogel, DermacinRx Lidorex, DERMALID, Ela-Max, GEN7T, Glydo, Gold Bond, LidaMantle, Lidocan, Lidocare, Lidoderm, LidoDose, LidoDose Pediatric, Lidofore, LidoHeal-90, LIDO-K , Lidomar , Lidomark, LidoReal-30, LidoRx, Lidosense 4 , Lidosense 5, Lidosol, Lidosol-50, LIDO-SORB, Lidotral, Lidovix L, LIDOZION, Lidozo, LMX 4, LMX 4 with Tegaderm, LMX 5, LTA, Lydexa, Moxicaine, Numbonex, ReadySharp Lidocaine, RectaSmoothe, RectiCare, Salonpas Lidocaine, Senatec, Solarcaine, SUN BURNT PLUS, Tranzarel, Xyliderm, Xylocaine, Xylocaine Dental, Xylocaine in Dextrose, Xylocaine MPF, Xylocaine Topical, Xylocaine Topical Jelly, Xylocaine Topical Solution, Xylocaine Viscous, Zilactin-L, Zingo, Zionodi, ZTlido
NOTE: This is the Consumer Version. DOCTORS: VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION
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