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Toenail - Ingrown

Symptoms of an Ingrown Toenail

  • Toe pain from sharp corner of toenail cutting into surrounding skin.
  • Redness and swelling around the corner of the toenail is common.
  • The area may drain pus or yellow fluid.
  • The red area is very tender to touch. Pressure from wearing a shoe may make it worse.
  • Some people with an ingrown toenail can barely walk.

Cause of an Ingrown Toenail

  • The toenail is usually pushed into the skin by wearing tight shoes.
  • The tiny cut made by the nail allows bacteria to enter the skin. The cut then becomes infected.
  • The sharp corner of the buried nail keeps growing. The deeper it goes, the more painful it becomes.