Ingrown Toenail Troubles

Ingrown toenails are, quite literally, a pain. They occur when the sharp edge of your toenail grows into the soft tissue of your toe. Most commonly, this will affect your big toe. Ingrown toenails are not only uncomfortable, but they can become reoccurring and can lead to bigger problems like infection. You can be genetically predisposed to getting ingrown toenails because of the shape of your toenails. However, you can also get them by wearing footwear that's too tight in the toe area, by breaking or damaging a toenail, or by cutting into the corners of your toenails when trimming. As the old adage reminds us, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, make sure that you wear comfortable, roomy shoes and that you cut your toenails straight across!