An ingrown toenail —onychocryptosis— is a nail edge that digs into the surrounding skin. It usually starts as discomfort when the shoe presses or when the area is touched, and it can progress to redness, swelling and constant pain. The most common causes are cutting the nail too short or too curved, footwear that squeezes the front of the foot, a knock, or a nail that grows with a strongly curled shape.
At the appointment the embedded spicule is removed —that is what causes the pain— and the nail groove is cleaned and freed. From there the second part matters most: working out why it happened —the cut, the footwear, the shape of the nail or how the toe loads— so that it does not come back, because a nail that ingrows once tends to do it again if the cause is still there.
What happens at the appointment
- Assessment of the toe, the nail groove and the state of the skin.
- Removal of the edge or spicule that is digging in.
- Cleaning of the area and freeing of the groove.
- Review of the cause: cutting, footwear, nail shape and how the toe loads.
- Home care guidance and, if it happens again, an assessment of the options for resolving it lastingly.
Does the edge of a nail hurt when you put your shoe on?
Book an appointmentFrequently asked questions
- Why does it keep happening on the same toe?
- Because of the causes that make a nail dig in, some can be changed and one cannot. The way you cut it and your footwear can be corrected; the shape of the nail plate, however, is what it is: a nail that curves sharply from side to side enters the skin by its own geometry, and that does not change over time or with how you trim it. When the edge is removed the pain goes, but the nail keeps growing with the same shape. That is why the appointment looks at which of the two dominates in your case: if it is the cut or the shoe, changing them resolves it; if it is the shape, the decision is whether to live with regular checks or to consider a lasting solution.
- How should I cut my nails so they do not dig in?
- Straight across, without cutting into the corners. What makes an edge dig in is leaving a corner shorter than the rest: the skin of the groove closes over it and the nail meets that skin as it grows. So follow the line of the toe, leave the edge level with the tip — not tucked inside — and round the corners with a file rather than scissors. What does not help is cutting to a point or making a "V" in the middle: it releases nothing and leaves a spike that digs in again. And if the toe is already inflamed, this is not the moment to practise: that is when someone should look at it.
- Is there anything I can do while I wait for my appointment?
- Yes, three things, and they all point the same way: take pressure off and do not make the area worse. Wear footwear that does not squeeze the front of the foot — or go barefoot or in sandals at home — keep the toe clean and thoroughly dry, and stop touching it. That last one matters most: digging into the groove with scissors, tweezers or a pin, or trying to "get the edge out", is the fastest route to an infection, and an infection turns a ten-minute problem into one that takes several days. Do not apply anything occlusive that traps moisture. And if pus appears, the area feels hot, or the pain stops you putting weight on the foot, do not wait for the appointment you have: ask for an earlier one.
