{"id":9913,"date":"2026-10-23T16:45:57","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semedisalud.com\/?p=9913"},"modified":"2026-10-23T16:45:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T16:45:58","slug":"ingrown-toenail-malaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semedisalud.com\/en\/ingrown-toenail-malaga\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingrown toenail: what to do and what not to do when every step hurts"},"content":{"rendered":"

An ingrown toenail<\/strong> appears when the edge of the nail digs into the skin at the side of the toe. It seems like a small thing, but every step reminds you of it: the rubbing of your shoe, the pressure as you walk, that sharp pain that never quite goes away. At Semedi Podiatry, in El Corte Ingl\u00e9s in M\u00e1laga, we explain what to do and what not to do to look after it properly, and when it is best for us to see it in the clinic.<\/p>\n

What an ingrown toenail is and why it hurts so much<\/h2>\n

The nail is made to grow forwards, over the skin. When one of its edges veers off and starts to sink into the fold at the side, the skin gets irritated with every rub. What starts as an occasional discomfort can get worse if the pressure continues: the area turns red, swells and hurts even when you are barefoot.<\/p>\n

It is a common problem and, in most cases, it has an everyday cause. That is why understanding where it comes from is the first step to stopping it from happening again.<\/p>\n

The most common causes are part of daily life<\/h2>\n

An ingrown toenail almost always starts with something we do without thinking twice. These are the three causes we see most often in the clinic:<\/p>\n

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  1. Cutting it to a point.<\/strong> Rounding off the corners or cutting the sides too short leaves an edge that, as it grows, meets the skin instead of passing over it.<\/li>\n
  2. A shoe that pinches.<\/strong> Narrow footwear pushes the skin against the nail and the toes against each other; that constant pressure makes it easier for the edge to dig in.<\/li>\n
  3. The shape of the nail itself.<\/strong> Some nails, because of their shape, tend to curve inwards. In those cases the risk of an ingrown toenail is higher even if you cut and fit your shoes well.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Two of these causes often come together at the same time, which is why the discomfort returns even when it seems to have cleared up.<\/p>\n

    How to cut and care for the nail so it grows properly<\/h2>\n

    Caring for an ingrown toenail, or preventing one, is simpler than it looks. Three habits make the difference:<\/p>\n