Many people face a common problem of ingrown toenails where the edges of the nail start to grow and cut through the soft skin tissue of the toe. This can cause severe pain, swelling, redness, discomfort, and infection around your toe. In more serious cases, it can progress to an open sore, inviting fungal and other bacterial infections. A prolonged infection can have serious ramifications especially if you have diabetes, circulation problems or have an impaired immune system.

Here are some of the best ways to help prevent ingrown toenails:

Avoid trimming your toenails too short— The easiest way to prevent ingrown toenails is to trim your nails straight across and not curved. Proper grooming and nail care can go a long in preventing this condition.

Wear proper footwear—Poor footwear can set up an ideal environment for painful ingrown toenails to develop. Wear well-fitted shoes to avoid crowding and overlapping of your toes. This can help reduce undue stress on your feet.

Avoid trauma— One of the main reasons you may experience this condition is injury or trauma to the toe area. This is a very common occurrence in sports, vigorous-intensity activities, and especially running.

Whether your ingrown toenail is infected or recurring in nature, it is best to get it examined by a qualified doctor who specializes in foot and ankle care. At Joseph Stuto, DPM we provide high quality and advanced diagnostic tools to help treat a range of foot and ankle conditions. Whether you have hammertoes, bunions, sports injury or toe deformities, our dedicated and qualified podiatrists Dr. Joseph C. Stuto and Dr. Joseph A. Stuto can help! For more information on ingrown toenails and foot health, call us at our two office locations in Brooklyn, New York.