Ingrown toenails

An ingrown toenail happens when the side of a nail curls down and grows into the skin beside it. It's most common in the big toe.¹ It can be very sore, and it often gets infected. The most important thing to know is that the problem usually doesn't settle until the piece of nail digging into the skin is removed.

What is an ingrown toenail?

The medical name is onychocryptosis. A sharp edge or spike of nail (a spicule) presses into or pierces the skin fold along the side of the nail. The skin becomes tender, red and swollen, and it can harden over time.¹ Ingrown toenails can happen at any age.³

What causes it?

There's often more than one cause:¹,³

• Nail shape. Some people have naturally curved, curly or fan-shaped nails, which are more likely to grow in.¹
• How you cut your nails. Cutting nails too short, or rounding or cutting down into the corners, can leave a spike that grows into the skin.¹,³
• Tight shoes and socks. Shoes that are narrow or too short squeeze the toes and press on the nail.¹,³
• Injury. Stubbing your toe or dropping something on it.¹,³
• Thick nails. A thickened nail, for example from a fungal infection, can press harder on the skin.³
• Pressure from other toes, such as from a bunion.³
• Sweaty feet, and picking at the nail corners.¹
• Some medicines, occasionally, such as isotretinoin for severe acne.³

Signs and symptoms

An ingrown toenail usually causes pain, redness and swelling along the side of the nail.¹ Signs it has become infected include:¹

• pus or fluid coming from around the nail
• throbbing pain, or a fever
• bleeding around the nail
• redness and warmth spreading around the nail.

What can help?

At home. For a mild ingrown nail, soak your foot in warm salty water to soften the skin, then dry it well.² Wear wide, comfortable shoes or sandals, and take pain relief if you need it.² Don't dig at the nail or try to cut it out yourself.² Soaking can ease the pain, but if a spike of nail is caught in the skin, it usually needs to be removed.

What a podiatrist can do. For a mild ingrown nail, we can often carefully trim out the offending edge of nail and protect the skin beside it.³ If the nail has grown in further, or there's an infection, we numb the toe with a local anaesthetic and remove the ingrown edge. This is called a partial nail avulsion.³

Do antibiotics fix it? Not on their own. Antibiotics can treat an infection, but they don't remove the piece of nail that's causing it. Once the ingrown edge is removed, antibiotics usually aren't needed.³,⁴ Your doctor will advise you if you do need them.

Stopping it coming back. If your nail keeps growing in, we can make the treatment permanent. After removing the edge of the nail, we apply a chemical called phenol to the root of the nail (the matrix) so that strip doesn't grow back. Adding phenol makes it less likely the ingrown nail will return.⁵ The rest of the nail stays, just a little narrower. The toe usually takes 2–3 weeks to heal.³

Surgery. In more complex cases, a podiatric surgeon can cut out the nail edge and root (a wedge resection), or remove a small bony growth under the nail that's pushing it up (an exostosis).³ Surgery is better than non-surgical options at stopping an ingrown nail coming back.⁵

How can I prevent it?

• Cut your toenails straight across. Don't round the corners or cut them too short.¹,²
• Soaking your feet briefly in warm water first makes the nails easier to cut.¹
• Wear shoes and socks that fit well and don't squeeze your toes.¹
• Keep your feet clean and dry.¹

Not every ingrown nail can be prevented, especially if your nails are naturally curved.

When to see a podiatrist

See a podiatrist if your ingrown nail is painful, keeps coming back, or home care isn't helping.² See a doctor or podiatrist promptly if there are signs of infection.¹

If you have diabetes, poor circulation or nerve damage in your feet, don't treat an ingrown nail yourself. Get it checked straight away.¹

If you have a painful ingrown toenail, book an appointment with our podiatrists in Booragoon.

References

1. Healthdirect Australia (2025). Ingrown toenails. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/ingrown-toenails
2. NHS (2025). Ingrown toenail. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ingrown-toenail/
3. Bryant A, Knox A. (2015). Ingrown toenails: the role of the GP. Australian Family Physician, 44(3), 102–105. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/march/ingrown-toenails-the-role-of-the-gp
4. Reyzelman AM, Trombello KA, Vayser DJ, et al. (2000). Are antibiotics necessary in the treatment of locally infected ingrown toenails? Archives of Family Medicine, 9(9), 930–932. https://doi.org/10.1001/archfami.9.9.930
5. Eekhof JA, Van Wijk B, Knuistingh Neven A, van der Wouden JC. (2012). Interventions for ingrowing toenails. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012(4), CD001541. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001541.pub3

Reviewed by Andrew Schox, Podiatrist, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod. Last reviewed October 2026.