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The Guardian
09-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
What are ingrown toenails, and how can I avoid them?
There's never a good time to have an ingrown toenail. But navigating spring and summer with one can be particularly difficult, with warmer weather calling for open-toe shoes and more exposure to the elements. Contact with dirt or the ocean can allow bacteria to enter the skin near an ingrown toenail, leading to infection, according to the Cleveland Clinic. I should know: over the years, I've managed recurrent ingrown toenails, which occur when the edge of a nail grows into nearby skin, causing inflammation and pain. Twenty per cent of people who see a doctor for foot problems have the condition, according to the National Institute of Health. Even though ingrown toenails are common, they can feel embarrassing. The usual response when I tell someone I have one is a wrinkled nose and the assumption that my feet look gnarly. This is not the case – typically, they just look a little red and inflamed (although if they get infected, like mine did once when I delayed seeing a doctor for over a week, that can be gross). There are effective ways to manage the condition. Here's what experts say. Trimming toenails incorrectly is one of the most common causes. A lot of people follow the curved line of the whites of their nails, but cutting straight across is better, says Dr Shital Sharma, DPM, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon at New York Sports and Joints. The more the corners of a nail are cut, the more the nail will curl into the surrounding skin instead of lying flat, potentially causing an ingrown nail. Cutting the nail too short or too rounded can create a jagged shard of nail. This shard can dig into skin as the nail grows. 'When you're bending over to trim your nails instead of someone trimming for you, sometimes you don't notice you're missing a shard of nail on the corner,' says Dr Joshua Hollinger, DPM, a podiatrist at Rothman Orthopaedics. Tight shoes are another common cause. Narrow toe boxes apply constant pressure to the inner and outer corners of toenails, which can cause the nail to poke into skin, says Sharma. In other cases, heredity is to blame. 'I've seen whole families with ingrown toenails,' Hollinger says. In addition, individuals with bunions frequently have ingrown toenails, because as the big toe angles toward the second toe, it applies more pressure to the inside border of the nail. People with flat feet, fungal nails and dystrophic – or thickened – nails are also predisposed. An easy way to protect your toes is to let the nail grow slightly past the tip of your toe, then trim straight across without rounding the edges, says Dr Don Pelto, DPM, a podiatrist at Central Massachusetts Podiatry and author of The Healthy Living Guide to Ingrown Toenails. Trimming every three to four weeks is a good general practice, but this will vary for each individual. Sharma recommends wearing wider footwear that gives your toes room, and avoiding pedicures, which can involve aggressively cutting the sides of your nails. If you do get a pedicure, ask for your nails to be trimmed straight across to avoid problems. For athletes who wear cleats, note that they have a break-in period. 'That's when I see lots of ingrown toenails,' she adds. 'So don't throw away your old cleats – go back and forth between them [and] new cleats.' If heredity is causing your issues, that's trickier. Some people opt for a partial matrixectomy, where a doctor removes a small side portion of the nail and applies a chemical to the nail root to prevent it from growing back. This typically takes two to three weeks to heal, Hollinger says. This procedure can be especially useful for people with recurrent ingrown toenails, like me. Last spring, after weeks of pain and an infection my podiatrist said was too deep in the nail root for antibiotics to treat, she performed a partial matrixectomy. I haven't had issues since. Consult your podiatrist to discuss whether this is an appropriate measure for you. Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion There are ways to care for an ingrown toenail at home. Sharma suggests soaking your foot for 15 minutes nightly in warm water with Epsom salts or table salt. 'Soaking helps reduce inflammation and softens the nail so that it's easier to trim,' Sharma says. Although it's not a cure, you can also use a moisturizing, protective ointment such as Aquaphor to soften tough skin and nails and reduce some discomfort, she adds. I never travel without some, in case I have a flareup. And if my toes feel sore after wearing tight shoes, such as high heels, I immediately start soaking my feet and applying Aquaphor. Monitor your toenails as soon as you start experiencing discomfort, Sharma says. Taking pictures can be useful as the condition progresses, to construct a timeline for your healthcare provider that can help you figure out what might have triggered the problem and how quickly it's worsening. Take caution if you're going swimming. 'Chlorinated pools have chemicals that fight bacteria in the water, so I'm less concerned about people swimming in a pool with an ingrown toenail,' says Hollinger. 'But I've seen nasty infections from the ocean if people swim when their skin is broken.' If you're experiencing redness, drainage or swelling, he doesn't recommend swimming in the ocean or a lake. Redness and drainage are signs of possible infection, and it's best to see a podiatrist. However, don't wait for these symptoms to visit a doctor. 'Go as soon as you notice pain and persistent discomfort when you're walking or doing your daily routine,' Hollinger says. Sometimes a podiatrist can simply trim the offending nail to relieve the issue. But 'if you wait for it to worsen, we might be limited to doing a partial matrixectomy.' Another possible treatment is partial toenail avulsion, which removes the ingrown portion without dissolving the nail root. The nail should regrow in eight to 12 months, Hollinger says. Full toenail avulsion is rare and usually only used when both edges of the nail are ingrown, Pelto says. Follow your podiatrist's instruction for aftercare if they perform partial toenail avulsion or a matrixectomy. Pelto recommends daily foot soaking with Epsom salts or iodine if sterilization is required. Afterward, apply Neosporin, wear flip-flops or wide sneakers, and keep the toe wrapped in gauze or a bandage for several days, he says. Ingrown toenails might not be the most glamorous condition, but it's certainly a manageable one. Jacqueline LeKachman is a New York based-writer who covers family, sex and all the other things that keep us up at night for the Washington Post, Women's Health, HuffPost, and more
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
What are ingrown toenails, and how can I avoid them?
There's never a good time to have an ingrown toenail. But navigating spring and summer with one can be particularly difficult, with warmer weather calling for open-toe shoes and more exposure to the elements. Contact with dirt or the ocean can allow bacteria to enter the skin near an ingrown toenail, leading to infection, according to the Cleveland Clinic. I should know: over the years, I've managed recurrent ingrown toenails, which occur when the edge of a nail grows into nearby skin, causing inflammation and pain. Twenty per cent of people who see a doctor for foot problems have the condition, according to the National Institute of Health. Even though ingrown toenails are common, they can feel embarrassing. The usual response when I tell someone I have one is a wrinkled nose and the assumption that my feet look gnarly. This is not the case – typically, they just look a little red and inflamed (although if they get infected, like mine did once when I delayed seeing a doctor for over a week, that can be gross). There are effective ways to manage the condition. Here's what experts say. Trimming toenails incorrectly is one of the most common causes. A lot of people follow the curved line of the whites of their nails, but cutting straight across is better, says Dr Shital Sharma, DPM, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon at New York Sports and Joints. The more the corners of a nail are cut, the more the nail will curl into the surrounding skin instead of lying flat, potentially causing an ingrown nail. Cutting the nail too short or too rounded can create a jagged shard of nail. This shard can dig into skin as the nail grows. 'When you're bending over to trim your nails instead of someone trimming for you, sometimes you don't notice you're missing a shard of nail on the corner,' says Dr Joshua Hollinger, DPM, a podiatrist at Rothman Orthopaedics. Tight shoes are another common cause. Narrow toe boxes apply constant pressure to the inner and outer corners of toenails, which can cause the nail to poke into skin, says Sharma. In other cases, heredity is to blame. 'I've seen whole families with ingrown toenails,' Hollinger says. In addition, individuals with bunions frequently have ingrown toenails, because as the big toe angles toward the second toe, it applies more pressure to the inside border of the nail. People with flat feet, fungal nails and dystrophic – or thickened – nails are also predisposed. An easy way to protect your toes is to let the nail grow slightly past the tip of your toe, then trim straight across without rounding the edges, says Dr Don Pelto, DPM, a podiatrist at Central Massachusetts Podiatry and author of The Healthy Living Guide to Ingrown Toenails. Trimming every three to four weeks is a good general practice, but this will vary for each individual. Sharma recommends wearing wider footwear that gives your toes room, and avoiding pedicures, which can involve aggressively cutting the sides of your nails. If you do get a pedicure, ask for your nails to be trimmed straight across to avoid problems. For athletes who wear cleats, note that they have a break-in period. 'That's when I see lots of ingrown toenails,' she adds. 'So don't throw away your old cleats – go back and forth between them [and] new cleats.' If heredity is causing your issues, that's trickier. Some people opt for a partial matrixectomy, where a doctor removes a small side portion of the nail and applies a chemical to the nail root to prevent it from growing back. This typically takes two to three weeks to heal, Hollinger says. This procedure can be especially useful for people with recurrent ingrown toenails, like me. Last spring, after weeks of pain and an infection my podiatrist said was too deep in the nail root for antibiotics to treat, she performed a partial matrixectomy. I haven't had issues since. Consult your podiatrist to discuss whether this is an appropriate measure for you. Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion There are ways to care for an ingrown toenail at home. Sharma suggests soaking your foot for 15 minutes nightly in warm water with Epsom salts or table salt. 'Soaking helps reduce inflammation and softens the nail so that it's easier to trim,' Sharma says. Although it's not a cure, you can also use a moisturizing, protective ointment such as Aquaphor to soften tough skin and nails and reduce some discomfort, she adds. I never travel without some, in case I have a flareup. And if my toes feel sore after wearing tight shoes, such as high heels, I immediately start soaking my feet and applying Aquaphor. Monitor your toenails as soon as you start experiencing discomfort, Sharma says. Taking pictures can be useful as the condition progresses, to construct a timeline for your healthcare provider that can help you figure out what might have triggered the problem and how quickly it's worsening. Take caution if you're going swimming. 'Chlorinated pools have chemicals that fight bacteria in the water, so I'm less concerned about people swimming in a pool with an ingrown toenail,' says Hollinger. 'But I've seen nasty infections from the ocean if people swim when their skin is broken.' If you're experiencing redness, drainage or swelling, he doesn't recommend swimming in the ocean or a lake. Redness and drainage are signs of possible infection, and it's best to see a podiatrist. However, don't wait for these symptoms to visit a doctor. 'Go as soon as you notice pain and persistent discomfort when you're walking or doing your daily routine,' Hollinger says. Sometimes a podiatrist can simply trim the offending nail to relieve the issue. But 'if you wait for it to worsen, we might be limited to doing a partial matrixectomy.' Another possible treatment is partial toenail avulsion, which removes the ingrown portion without dissolving the nail root. The nail should regrow in eight to 12 months, Hollinger says. Full toenail avulsion is rare and usually only used when both edges of the nail are ingrown, Pelto says. Follow your podiatrist's instruction for aftercare if they perform partial toenail avulsion or a matrixectomy. Pelto recommends daily foot soaking with Epsom salts or iodine if sterilization is required. Afterward, apply Neosporin, wear flip-flops or wide sneakers, and keep the toe wrapped in gauze or a bandage for several days, he says. Ingrown toenails might not be the most glamorous condition, but it's certainly a manageable one. Jacqueline LeKachman is a New York based-writer who covers family, sex and all the other things that keep us up at night for the Washington Post, Women's Health, HuffPost, and more
Arab News
01-07-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan reports 14th polio case of this year in troubled northwest
KARACHI: Pakistan has reported 14th case of polio virus this year in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the country's polio program said on Tuesday, amid intensifying efforts to eradicate the disease. Polio is a highly infectious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis. The only effective protection is through repeated doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) for every child under five during each campaign, along with timely completion of all essential immunizations. The virus was detected in a 19-month-old boy in Miranshah-3 union council of KP's North Waziristan district, according to a reference laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. KP has reported eight cases of the virus this year, followed by four from Sindh, and one each from Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan. The northwestern region, which borders Afghanistan, has long been affected by militancy, with militant groups frequently targeting security forces, government officials and anti-polio vaccination teams. 'While nationwide efforts to eradicate polio continue to improve the quality of vaccination campaigns, the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain a major concern due to limited access and challenges in conducting house-to-house vaccination,' the polio program said. 'These obstacles result in missed opportunities, leaving thousands of children unvaccinated and vulnerable to poliovirus.' Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic. Islamabad made significant progress in curbing the virus, with annual cases dropping from around 20,000 in the early 1990s to just eight in 2018. Pakistan reported six cases in 2023 and only one in 2021, however, the country witnessed an intense resurgence of the poliovirus in 2024, with 74 cases reported. Efforts to eradicate the virus have been repeatedly undermined by vaccine misinformation and resistance from some religious hard-liners who claim that immunization is a foreign plot to sterilize Muslim children or a cover for Western espionage. Militant groups have frequently targeted polio vaccination teams and the security personnel assigned to protect them, particularly in KP and Balochistan. The polio program said it had conducted a special vaccination activity in six union councils of KP's Bannu district last month and inoculated 17,485 children, and a similar targeted vaccination drive was being planned in 11 union councils of North Waziristan. 'Additionally, preparations are underway for a large-scale special vaccination campaign in South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, scheduled for August,' it said, urging parents to ensure their children receive the vaccine. 'Recent polio cases in South KP are a stark reminder that children missed during vaccination campaigns remain at serious risk. While the program is making every effort to reach every child, the role of parents is critical.'
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Alarm over brain-eating parasite found in supermarket salad item - amid rise in deadly food poisoning
Health chiefs have sounded the alarm over ready-to-eat salad bags due to potentially-deadly contamination fears, amid an alarming rise in food poisoning outbreaks. There are currently no mandatory surveillance for bacteria in fresh produce—which can cause severe brain damage and breathing difficulties—despite ready-to-eat items surging in popularity, scientists have warned. The contamination is not confined to a specific area, instead reported across 10 European countries including the UK, the study, published in the journal Eurosurveillance found. Scientists collected 3,320 salad samples between October 2021 and September 2022 and found that over 4 per cent of the leaves were contaminated with toxoplasma gondii oocysts. This bacteria can be passed on by digesting cat feces, which contaminate food and water, making salad that is not washed properly a popular breeding ground for the bacteria. Research by the National Institute of Health suggests that half of the UK population show signs of past infection by the age of 50, though most cases go unnoticed. The nasty bug can also cause flu-like symptoms and muscle aches and pains. However, it can be fatal. People who have a weakened immune system, such as cancer patients, are at an increased risk of infection, known as toxoplasmosis. This can cause severe neurological and respiratory systems which can be fatal, causing damage to the brain, eyes, heart and lungs. Catching this infection during pregnancy can be particularly dangerous, resulting in spontaneous miscarriage and fetal abnormalities, the NHS warns. If people become seriously ill, they may need hospital care because the damage can be life-threatening. The NHS advises anyone who experiences more serious symptoms, including confusion and slurred speech to call 999. However, most cases will clear up on their own or can be treated with a course of antibiotics. Samples of the leaves were collected in the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Most positive samples were collected in winter and packaged in the UK, France, Portugal, Spain and Denmark. Scientists are now urging for better control measures to help protect consumers against infection. 'This is particularly relevant since ready-to-eat salads are intended to be consumed raw without any further treatment by the consumer', they added. 'Future work should investigate presence of [the parasite] in different steps of the ready-to-eat production to minimise infection risk for humans.' This comes as health watchdogs warn that outbreaks of food poisoning are becoming more complex, with a significant increase in serious cases. In April this year, health officials sounded the alarm over a worrying surge in serious cases of a rare strain of bacterial infection that's been linked to colon cancer. The outbreak sickened 288 patients, causing nine cases of haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) — a life-threatening condition that can lead to kidney failure —and two deaths, the latest UKHSA figures show. Food safety chiefs previously said they were confident a type of butterhead lettuce, named Apollo, was behind the outbreak of the diarrhoea-causing bug. Experts believe lettuce's texture can make it more prone to the bacteria and the fact it's not cooked, which would usually kill off bugs, increases the risk. Rates of a rare strain of the bug commonly in contaminated lettuce—have risen almost 10-fold in England in just seven years, fresh figures show. Cases of the infection are thought to be linked to the mysterious epidemic of colon cancer among the under 50s. In 2023 alone, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) investigated 59 new or ongoing outbreaks and incidence of gastrointestinal illness linked with foodborne disease. Now, experts have told of the potential reasons behind the explosion — including climate change, more vigilant reporting by hospitals and a rise in the number of people vulnerable to severe illness. It may also be the case that more shoppers are opting for prime sources of the bug, such as lettuce, either via ready made sandwiches or bagged salads. Studies suggest leafy greens are responsible for half of all outbreaks. Professor Paul Hunter, a renowned infectious diseases expert from the University of East Anglia told MailOnline: 'Watering during growth allows the potentially contaminated water to rest on the lettuce leaf. 'The rough and waxy surface of the leaf also makes it difficult to wash off E. coli. 'As to whether E. coli can enter the tissue of the lettuce, probably it can, though the evidence is somewhat conflicting. 'The main risk comes from bacteria attached to the leaf surface. Most other vegetables are either peeled or cooked before eating. 'We also found bagged lettuce already prepared for use to be a common factor.' Experts say all salad should be washed thoroughly by immersing in cold water. Storage of vegetables is also key: if salad bags are in the fridge and the temperature is less than four degrees, bacteria will not multiply as rapidly. Experts also say recent wet, warm weather can creates an 'ideal' breeding ground for E. coli to spread. Out of the 436 recorded incidence involving food contamination, Salmonella was the most recorded cause, with Listeria and STEC also on the rise. STEC is one of the most dangerous forms of food-borne E. coli, capable of causing life-threatening kidney failure, serious blood clotting disorders.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Pakistan reports new polio case in northwest, raising 2025 tally to 12
KARACHI: Pakistan's polio eradication program on Friday said a new wild poliovirus case had been detected in the country's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the total tally of 2025 cases to 12. Polio is a paralyzing disease with no cure, making prevention through vaccination critical. Multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine, along with the completion of the routine immunization schedule for all children, are essential to build strong immunity against the virus. The country conducted three nationwide vaccination campaigns in February, April and May, aiming to immunize around 45 million children across Pakistan with the support of over 400,000 frontline workers including 225,000 women vaccinators. 'The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad, has confirmed a new case of wild poliovirus in District Bannu, South Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,' the body said in a statement. 'The 33-month-old male child from Union Council Shamsikhel, District Bannu is the sixth case of polio reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa this year.' Pakistan has reported 12 polio cases so far this year, including six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four from the southern Sindh province and one each from the populous Punjab province and the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region. Pakistan, one of the last two countries where polio remains endemic along with Afghanistan, has made significant progress in curbing the virus, with annual cases dropping from around 20,000 in the early 1990s to just eight in 2018. However, the country reported an alarmingly high number of 74 cases in 2024, after six in 2023 and only one in 2021. Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Thursday claimed that Pakistan has recorded a 99 percent decline in polio cases, as he urged global vaccine organization Gavi to invest more in efforts to 'train and retain' vaccinators. Pakistan launched its polio eradication program in 1994, but its efforts have repeatedly been hindered by widespread vaccine misinformation and resistance from hard-line religious groups who claim immunization campaigns are a Western conspiracy to sterilize Muslim children or a front for espionage. Militant groups have also targeted polio workers and police officials providing them security, often with deadly attacks that have hampered vaccination drives, particularly in the country's remote and conflict-prone regions.
