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An ingrown toenail occurs when the nails on your toes begin to slowly grow into the adjacent skin. There are a number of reasons they occur, and some prevention tips will be included below, but if you are currently suffering from the discomfort of ingrown toenails then the best place to find relief is with your Cranston, RI, podiatrist. If you would like to learn more you can reach out directly to Dr. John Volpe, Dr. Peter Sardella, and Dr. Ethan Pais of Rhode Island Foot and Ankle - Center for Heel Pain.

Common Causes and Prevention

Ingrown toenails can be caused by elements out of your control, they can be caused by injuries and there are some who have a genetic predisposition to them, but there is still a lot that you can do to prevent them.

Both improper footwear and improperly cutting your nails are some of the most common causes of the condition. Your podiatrist may in fact be able to help you both in finding the best type of shoe for your needs and in teaching you how to best cut your nails, and for certain circumstances, your podiatrist could provide the service of cutting your toenails if you are not able to do so on your own.

If you are looking to prevent ingrown toenails, and other foot-related complications, it's also important to maintain good foot hygiene, making sure that they are clean and dry.

Treatment for Ingrown Toenails in Cranston, RI

Although it's possible to treat very minor cases of ingrown toenails at home, your best recourse is your podiatrist. An ingrown toenail can become infected if not cared for correctly, which is doubly dangerous if you suffer from diabetes, in which case you should be seeing your podiatrist on a regular basis already.

Your podiatrist will examine your foot and determine how to best treat it, either by removing just the part of the nail that's digging into your toe or by performing a full nail removal. Complete removal may be necessary in some cases, as even though it can take some time to grow back, you get to start with a healthy new nail.

Don't suffer any longer from ingrown toenails, schedule a visit today in Cranston, RI, with Dr. Volpe, Dr. Sardella, and Dr. Pais of Rhode Island Foot and Ankle - Center for Heel Pain by dialing (401) 946-9933.