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Ingrown toenail

An ingrown toenail develops when the nail edge presses or grows into the skin beside it. This often causes pain, redness and swelling, usually in the big toe. Early on, reducing pressure, drying carefully and trimming correctly may help, but picking, digging or cutting a V shape often makes things worse. Seek assessment sooner with diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy, reduced immunity, pus, spreading redness, cellulitis or fever.

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  • An ingrown toenail develops when its side presses or pierces the neighbouring skin. The nail fold becomes irritated and sometimes inflamed.
  • Initially there is often redness, mild swelling and pressure pain. Later, wound fluid, pus and extra fragile red tissue may develop, especially with repeated skin damage.
  • The safest first steps are reducing pressure, keeping the toe clean and dry and avoiding further nail trauma. Early action often makes worsening easier to prevent.
  • Cutting deeply into a corner, pulling off a nail fragment, digging beneath the edge or cutting a V in the centre usually does not help. At most this creates temporary space, but often increases new wounds and recurrence.
  • Make contact sooner with diabetes, poor circulation, neuropathy or reduced immunity. Call the same day for fever, spreading redness, pus, increasing swelling or suspected cellulitis.

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Further reading

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