Crofton Office

1657 Crofton Blvd, Suite 201

Crofton, MD 21114

(410) 721-4505

(410) 721-2394

Woodbridge Office

14010 Smoketown Rd., Suite 103

Woodbridge, VA 22192

(703) 583-5959

(703) 890-4970

Chantilly Office

3914 Centreville Road, Suite 200

Chantilly, VA 20151

(703) 490-5599

(703) 583-5995

Sterling Office

46440 Benedict Dr., Suite 111

Sterling, VA 20164

(703) 444-9555

Treating that Pain in the Foot, an Ingrown Toenail

There are many reasons why you might find yourself limping due to pain in your feet or toes. It could be a bunion, callus or corn all of which are quite treatable. One, though, may require more than average especially if it’s not taken care of. An Ingrown toenail may sound somewhat minor to the average person, but if not taken care of can require surgery to fix, something most people will want to avoid if possible and do if needed.

An ingrown toenail is when your toenail starts to grow into the actual toe groove causing pain and discomfort. What may start out to be a slight issue can quickly escalate.

Causes of Ingrown Toenails include:

  • Poor fitting shoes – shoes that are too tight at the toes not allowing for growth and pushing the nails inward.
  • Poor trimming – nails that are not trimmed properly can grow this way.
  • Family History – a history of ingrown toenails in your family can be passed on to relatives.
  • Trauma – trauma to the toes may case nails to grow inward.

Symptoms of an ingrown toenail include redness, swelling, pain and possible drainage from an ongoing infection. Any or all of these can indicate an ingrown toenail. In other words, if the toenail is ingrown you will know it by how it looks and feels.

If you do have an ingrown toenail you will want to see your podiatrist as they are best trained to assess and treat them. You want to catch it before it progresses too far, and surgery is needed. To avoid getting them you will want to do the following.

  • Wash your feet with anti-bacterial soap to keep feet and toes clean and dry.
  • Cut your nails straight across, not on a curve.
  • Cut them when they are soft like after a bath or shower.
  • Wear proper fitting shoes not too tight or too loose at the toes.

Treatment beyond trimming the nails could include the podiatrist cutting out the sides of the toenails to stop the ingrown nail from growing further which in most cases is quite successful.

If you believe you have an ingrown toenail or any other concerns with your feet, call our office and make an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Brad Toll. He will assess your feet and find the appropriate treatments. Call Crofton Podiatry at (410) 721-4505, which provides services to Crofton, Gambrills, Odenton, and Bowie, MD areas. 

Contact Us

Our Locations

Find us on the map

Office Hours

(We have new hours as below!)

Crofton Podiatry

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

7:30 am-3:30 pm

Friday:

By Appointment Only

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed