Ingrown Toenail 

An ingrown toenail can be an extremely painful condition. An ingrown nail digs into the skin at the sides of the toe and is extremely sharp. Since the toe nail that digs into the skin is very sharp, the first symptoms are inflammation and growth of extra tissue.
If an ingrown toenail is not treated immediately, it could lead to an ingrown toenail infection. As the infection progresses, it can become ulcerous or cause an abscess. If not given proper care and attention the condition could get intensified and may then require surgical treatment.

Though common in adults, ingrown nails usually do not occur in children. Statistics have shown that ingrown toenails are more common in men than in women. They are usually due to injuries, and therefore teenagers and young adults who play a lot of sports are more prone to developing them. Though any toe nail can become ingrown, the big toe is most prone to it.
Ingrown toenail causes include tight fitting shoes or uncomfortable heels which cause the toes to be pressed hard into each other. This causes abnormal pressure to be put on the toes, causing the nails to become misshapen. If the toenails are not trimmed properly they can also start digging into the skin. Toe nails should never be rounded after being trimmed. Fungal infections and injuries are other causes of ingrown toenails since these cause damage to the toenails or cause them to become wider.
There are many ingrown toenail home remedies. However, it is recommended that you should always consult a doctor for treatment before you begin remedying the toenail at home. Since the infection can spread very fast, ingrown toenail home treatment may complicate things, causing the condition to become worse. Doctors may be able to treat the ingrown nail through proper medication. However, if the infection is severe and the nail has grown into the skin, there may be no other option than to go for a surgical treatment, which is not only painful, but also very expensive.

The early ingrown toenails symptoms are reddening and mild swelling of the toe. There may be slight pus and the drainage may worsen over a period of time. The toe may also feel a little warm to touch. For best results, visit a doctor as soon as you observe these initial symptoms. This will allow the doctor to give you immediate therapy and the treatment may give you instant relief.