The Dreaded Ingrown Toe Nail
Most people will have a touch of it at some stage and it is one of the most common problems that clients come to see us about at Carlow Foot Care … The dreaded ingrowing toenail!
Causes
Both painful and irritating, a toenail that begins to grow into the skin at the side can be caused by a few factors.
Some people are quite familiar with the notion that tight-fitting shoes such as high heels can put pressure on nails and cause problems but did you know that ingrowing toenails can also be hereditary? Another cause of ingrowing toenails is repetitive stress. This can often be the case for those that take part in sports regularly such as runners and also dancers. For example, I often treat children who take part in Irish dancing for ingrowing toenail problems
Addressing the first point, any podiatrist will tell you that the right footwear is important for keeping your feet healthy. However, I think this is probably a topic for another blog!
Treatment
Ingrowing toenails can be non-surgically treated by our podiatrist. To treat conservatively, a podiatrist would cut the section of the nail that is growing into the skin. The benefits of this form of treatment are that it is relatively painless and quick. It also provides instant relief. The issues associated are that the nail will grow back.
Ingrown toenails can be a pain (literally!), but can be treated easily. If you are having trouble with your feet, book in for a consultation with our team by calling 059 913 1667.