Ingrown Nails

There are five mail causes of ingrown nail pain. Problems from ingrown nails can range from occasional pain, to severe pain, to frequent infections. Let our office determine which type of ingrown you have so we can help you find relief from your pain.

We will evaluate your ingrown pain during a pedicure or, if you would like us to just work on your ingrown nail, you may schedule an ingrown nail service from our a la carte menu.

The 5 Types of Ingrown Nails

Spicula

When a sliver of your nail breaks off but is still attached at the base of the nail, the sliver is called a spicula. The spicula can press into the skin, creating pain. At your appointment, I will check for spiculas. If I find any, I will remove them and smooth the edge of the nail, relieving your pain. Clients with this problem leave pain free in one appointment.

Impacted Debris

Dead skin, fabric lint, soap scum, and more can build up underneath your nail. Too much debris in a small space can build up pressure and create callusing. The callusing takes up space, which leads to more pressure. This cycle of pressure can be quite painful. At your appointment I will check for impacted debris and remove callusing to relieve your pain. Clients with this problem leave the salon pain free but there is a tendency for the problem to return. Regularly scheduled visits is advised.

Improper Cutting

Cutting out the sides of your nails may have been done illegally by a nail technician, by you trying to relive your pain from a different ingrown problem, or you may have had an injury to the nail. Improper cutting also includes cutting the nail too short. This type of injury can create a sharp edge at the base of the cut. I will use a tool that is not sharp to bevel the edge of the nail so it can grow out without jabbing the skin as it grows. If there is a secondary issue such as involution, that will need to be dealt with as well, in order to find full relief.

Involuted

Involuted nails have developed a curvature, usually because of shoes that are too narrow. The cruved nail presses into the skin, which is painful. For these types of nails I apply a brace to correct the shape of the nail. Braces cost extra and you may require multiple applications, every 6 weeks, in order to achieve a full correction. In addition to correcting the involution, I will also screen for other issues that can be caused by narrow shoes and discuss proper footware.

Wide Nail Plate

When the nail plate is wider than the nail bed, the nail will cut the skin along the sidewalls. This can lead to frequent infections and requires surgery to prevent the nails from continuing to cut the skin. Since this is a problem from a young age, most people with this problem have undergone surgery by the time they are an adult. For this reason, I typically don't have clients that need this surgery, because they have already had it. This is the only type of ingrown that I can't fix in my office.