What are ingrown toe nails?
Ingrown toe nails happen when part of the nail pierces the skin, which can cause an infection to occur. The ingrown toenails can also cause pressure in the nail fold without breaking the skin, this is not exactly an ingrown toe nail, but it can be just as painful.

How to tell by looking if you have ingrown toe nails.
The side of the nail that is ingrown usually pierces deep into the skin so the edge of the nail can not be seen. The appearance of the nail will differ as to severity. You may only notice just a small spike of the nail piercing the skin or the nail could be deep into the skin down the whole side of the nail. The piercing is just like a knife and may cause infection. If the toe becomes infected it will be red, inflamed and very painful.

The main symptom of ingrown toe nails is pain. First the pain may start out being minor or just discomforting. The pain is usually caused from the side of the nail being pushed into the skin from shoes or from movement. The toe may not be infected at this point but it can become infected when the nail pierces the skin. When infection occurs the toe will become red, inflamed, and may ooze pus.

Ingrown toe nails may occur when you do not cut your toenails properly, they should be cut straight across without curving. The shape of your toenail may also hinder you in getting ingrown toenails. Some of this is genetic and can not be changed. If the shape of the toe nail is curved inward toward the skin all the way down the sides, then this is probably inherited.

You can help prevent ingrown toe nails. Remember to cut your toe nails straight across, this may be difficult if your nails are curved inward so much that you can not cut them without them piercing the skin. If this is the case, then you will need to ask your doctor for help in deciding what can be done.

Do not wear shoes that are too tight that will cause ingrown toenails. The tight shoes press in on your nails and cause them to pierce the skin.

Cleaning your feet to fight infection when you have ingrown toe nails is very important. Once the toe nail is already ingrown and is painful wash the area regularly, you sure don’t want an infection.