Preventing The Pain Of An Ingrown Toe Nail

Ingrown nails are a universal source of pain and frustration, experienced by people of all ages and states of health. Despite the common wisdom, there is no way one can actually prevent an ingrown nail from forming. Many readers by now are scratching their heads, unsure if the title of this article is misleading. If one takes a second look at the article title, it can be seen that this authors advice is for how to prevent the pain of an ingrown nail, not the ingrown nail itself. First one must understand what an ingrown nail actually is. Ingrown nails develop for many reasons. The usual causes include simple birth genetics, often transfered from parent to child. More commonly ingrown nails develop from shoes that place long term pressure on the fragile cells under the skin that actually grow the nail, or from injuries like objects falling on the toe or stubbing it against an object. The fragile nail root cells are easily damaged, and a change in the pattern of growth can result after an injury. Over time, the nail edge may curve inward toward the skin as it grows outward.

One cannot prevent the pattern of nail growth any more than one can force curly hair to begin to grow straight. Once the nail begins to grow inward, the pattern of nail growth cannot be altered. The good news is that not all ingrown nails cause pain. In fact, most do not. The actual position of the nail edge pushing into the side skin does not inherently irritate the skin or cause pain. It is only when the skin next to the nail becomes irritated and inflamed that pain usually develops. The firm resistance of a nail against swollen and irritated skin causes nerves in the skin to generate pain. The source of inflammation can be varied. It can include toe injury, tight shoes, or injuring the skin when cutting ones nails. Understanding how to stop the actions that could lead to a painful ingrown nail is key to preventing it altogether, as well the infection that eventually develops from untreated ingrown nails.

The easiest way to prevent the development of ingrown nail pain is to ensure ones shoes fit properly. A shoe should not be too tight, nor too narrow at the toes. Conversely, ones shoes should not be too large in length, as a foot that slides inside a shoe will jam at the toes, causing the same problem. This step alone can prevent many ingrown nails from developing pain and inflammation. Preventing toe injuries is easier said than done, as no one intends to stub their toe or drop a soup can on it. Perhaps keeping ones feet in mind and being more careful can help eliminate this cause of ingrown nail pain. Finally, one must be careful in how one cuts their toe nails. The old adage of cutting the nails straight across is accurate, although incorrect in its original assumption that this would prevent an ingrown nail from forming in the first place. Remember, no matter what shape one cuts their nails, the pattern of growth begins where the nail begins, not at the the end of the nail after it has already grown. By cutting straight across, the skin alongside the nail is spared from any accidental nicking or tugging of skin still somewhat attached to the nail being trimmed. This prevents the skin from becoming inflamed. The nail is still ingrown, but the skin along side it remains soft and healthy. If early pain or inflammation does develop, a simple angled cut at the nail tip can reduce pressure at the tip only. Sometimes this is enough to prevent pain for awhile, at least until the nail grows long enough to reach the skin tip again.

If all else fails, the ingrown nail can be treated with a simple procedure in a podiatrists office to permanently remove the ingrown edges, leaving a straight nail to remain. However, preventing an ingrown nail from developing pain is not a difficult task, once the conditions that lead to this pain, as well as the nature of the ingrown nail itself, are properly understood.