Latest news with #ingrownToenail
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
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Mum, 42, left fighting for her life in septic shock and has foot amputated after spotting an ingrown nail
A MUM was left fighting for her life and had to have her foot amputated after an ingrown toenail turned in gangrene. Lacey Shadrick says she has always dealt with ingrown toenails - getting them about once a week - and usually treats them herself at home. 10 But the 42-year-old noticed a "blister" from a particularly "severe" ingrown toenail on her left big toe in September 2024. As she was visiting a poorly family member in hospital at the time, she asked doctors to take a look. Doctors revealed Lacey had a soft tissue infection - a bacterial infection in the deeper layers of the skin - so they "cut" into her toe. Lacey was also put on antibiotics as she is diabetic, which increases her risk of infection. Just days later the mum-of-three was shocked to discover that her toe needed to be after it became gangrenous - leaving her hours away from "losing her life". As her infection continued to worsen, she was forced to have three more surgeries including a transmetatarsal amputation, where all of her toes and half of her foot were removed, on April 11, 2025. Lacey is now in a wheelchair and will need a prosthetic foot if she has "any chance of walking" again. She urges people to "be careful with their feet" and to treat any issues "seriously" so they don't end up in her position. Lacey, who lives in Sumter, South Carolina, US, said: "I got ingrown toenails once a week, and have dealt with them my whole life. "I think it's just because of the way my toenails grow. It grows under instead of right across. Signs of serious diabetes foot problems "I would take care of them at home. I've never had to go to the doctors ever to get them looked at. "I never imagined this would happen. It was scary. It's mind blowing how it's all working out. It's such a common procedure, you wouldn't think it would go this wrong. "I was just in the hospital to [visit a family member]. I noticed around my toenail what looked like a blister and it had some pus in it. I showed [the nurse] and she said 'you're diabetic, let's get you checked out and make sure everything's okay'. "They said it was a soft tissue infection only, which is typical of an ingrown toenail. An orthopaedist came into the room and they cut my toe in several places and put packing in it. They did not cover it with gauze. I was septic and I was really close to losing my life. I was laying there thinking 'what are my kids going to do if I die' Lacey Shadrick "That Monday I was telling [my doctor] the pain was worse. On Wednesday the packing had pulled itself out by me walking on it. He said 'it looks like you've got an infection'. "When the MRI results came back, he flew into my room and he said 'We're cutting your toe off in the morning. You have gangrene'. I didn't even know gangrene was still a thing. "I was septic and I was really close to losing my life. The infection was in my bone marrow. I was laying there thinking 'what are my kids going to do if I die'. "It was a massive shock. Normally at home I'd just dig it out and put a band aid on it and that's all I had to do." 10 10 The former emergency medical dispatcher had her left big toe amputated on October 4, 2024 and was sent home - but claims her wound was not covered properly. However, Lacey was forced to have three more surgeries as the infection continued to spread. In April 2025, after visiting multiple hospitals, Lacey was told she had osteomyelitis, a bone infection usually caused by bacteria that can lead to bone death. She discovered she'd "crushed" all her toes just by walking due to the bone infection and needed a transmetatarsal amputation. I was extremely angry with what had happened. I'm trying to let go of that anger but it's really hard. Lacey Shadrick Lacey said: "My toes started looking really weird and I couldn't move them. Everybody was like 'your toe is broken' but I said 'there's something going on'. "[The doctor] did an MRI and said I had an infection and also the bones on all four of my toes were broken. Not just broken but crushed just by walking. My foot was a mangled mess on the inside. "He had to cut my calf open and attach my calf to my achilles tendon because my foot was turning inwards and was going to deform. "That's why we made the decision to do that transmetatarsal. It's so unfathomable for me I couldn't even wrap my head around it." 'This should never have happened' The parent revealed she is in a wheelchair for six weeks and will need to have a prosthetic foot in order to walk again. However, she doesn't have insurance so fears she won't be able to afford a prosthesis, which costs around $1,700. Lacey said: "I was extremely angry with what had happened. I'm trying to let go of that anger but it's really hard. This should never have happened. "I can't do anything at this point because I'm not allowed to put any weight on it in six weeks. I can't even begin to see what it's going to be like just yet. It's scary because I know it's going to be a big adjustment because I have no balance. "I'm an active person. I love being outside and I love playing sports but I'm on the sidelines at the moment. I'm scared because I don't know what the future's going to hold. How diabetes makes you more prone to infections High blood sugar - which happens with diabetes - adds stress to your body and makes nearly every system work harder. This includes the white blood cells of your immune system. If you have diabetes, your immune system might be weakened and less effective. High blood sugar can also trigger a protective immune response called inflammation, which can damage your internal organs over time. If you have inflammation, your immune system is working harder. When this happens while your immune system may already be weakened, it's harder to fight off infections. Research shows that people with diabetes can have more frequent illnesses like: Respiratory tract infections Flu Pneumonia Urinary tract infections (UTIs) Skin infections It may also take longer to heal or recover from illnesses, cuts, and wounds. "I know if I have any chance of walking, I'm going to need a prosthetic that goes inside my shoe. Without that I don't think I have an option to walk. All of it was so unexpected. You're never financially ready for it." The stay-at-home mum wants to share her story to urge others to "be careful with their feet" and "trust their bodies" if they think something is wrong. Lacey said: "Take things seriously and advocate for yourself because I would not be here if I did not. You know your body, trust your body. If you feel like you're not being heard, make sure to find someone that will. "Be careful with your feet as we take them for granted. I've seen the horror stories when you get a pedicure at the salon. "It's something women never really think about. Make sure you get your pedicure at places that are clean."
