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Ingrown toenail

Unguis incarnatus (onychocryptosis) · Zarostlý nehet

What it is

The nail edge cuts into the skin fold of the big toe, which swells and gets infected.

Symptoms & signs

  • Pain at the side of the big toe
  • red swollen nail fold
  • pus
  • overgrown red tissue (granuloma)

🚩 Get help if…

  • see a doctor soon Redness spreading up the foot or fever
  • see a doctor soon Pus, bad smell or pain getting worse
  • see a doctor soon Any toe infection with diabetes or poor circulation
  • see a doctor soon Not better after a week of home care

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Warm salt soaks and a cotton wisp or dental floss under the nail edge
  • antibiotics if cellulitis
  • partial nail removal with phenol to stop regrowth

Natural & lifestyle

  • Cut nails straight across, not too short
  • shoes with a wide toe box
  • keep feet dry

Emerging & experimental

  • Nail braces (spring clips) to reshape the nail
  • gutter splints

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Tea tree oil and Epsom salt soaks — soothing; untested anecdotal / traditional
  • Cutting a V-notch in the middle of the nail — folklore; does not work anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes