Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails, though not a life-threatening health problem, can cause significant pain or discomfort in the affected toe. In severe cases, the infection caused by an ingrown... Read more
Educational Articles
Ingrown Toenails: Conventional vs. Natural Approaches
This video discusses ingrown toenails—a common (though not normal) toe problem that's often treated by surgically removing a portion of the affected nail. Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist at Northwest Foot and Ankle and the inventor of Correct Toes, explains why surgery usually is not necessary in treating ingrown toenails and how a natural approach (i.e., appropriate footwear, toe spacers, etc.) can treat and prevent this painful condition. Dr. Ray also explains how conventional footwear can cause changes in the architecture of the big toenail and how this can lead to chronic ingrown toenail problems.
Disclaimer:
The above content is for educational or informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or augment professional medical instruction, diagnosis, or treatment. Read full disclaimer here.About the Author
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WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR FOOT HEALTH?
Let the team at Natural Footgear help you! Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest offers and helpful info, and sign up for our FREE email courses on various topics and foot health conditions.
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I first started experiencing ingrown toenails in high school, in the late ‘70s, when I wore narrow toe box cleats a lot. My brother passed along some advice from his orthopedic surgeon: File the surface of the nail in the middle, basically making it flat. He said that it makes the nail grow toward the filed area, thus retracting the outer edges. From then on, I’ve incorporated it into my nail trimming routine and it’s worked quite well. Once I started going mostly barefoot about five years ago, I found that I now don’t really need to file the nail surface.
Hi, Kelly,
Thank you for sharing your experience with ingrown toenails! The advice from your brother’s orthopedic surgeon sounds like a helpful technique. It’s great to hear that going barefoot has alleviated the need for extra filing. Wearing tapering toe box footwear often contributes to ingrown nails, so allowing your toes to spread out naturally is a great way to support healthy nail growth.
All the best,
Marty Hughes, DC