Signs Your Ingrown Toenail Is Infected and Requires Professional Treatment

Dealing with an ingrown toenail can be painful and frustrating, but how do you know when to seek professional help?

As partners of Utah Musculoskeletal Specialists, we’ve seen our fair share of ingrown toenails at Dan Preece, DPM, & Darren Groberg, DPM, in Salt Lake City. Some are minor problems that resolve with diligent home care, but others need medical intervention.

Here, our experienced podiatrists explain the signs indicating your ingrown toenail might be infected and require our help.

All about ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when the edge of a nail grows into the skin around it. They’re most common on the big toe, but they can also affect other toes. They usually occur due to improper nail trimming, wearing tight shoes, or injury.

An ingrown toenail starts with minor discomfort but can escalate into a severe problem if you don’t address it.

The first signs of an ingrown toenail are redness, swelling, and pain around the nail.

Sometimes, you can resolve the problem with at-home care, but keep an eye on your toe — those early symptoms could be a precursor to infection.

How to handle an ingrown toenail at home

You can do several things at home to alleviate discomfort and encourage healing.

Soak your foot in warm, soapy water for about 15 to 20 minutes, two to three times daily, to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
After soaking, gently dry your toe and place a small piece of cotton or dental floss between the ingrown edge of the nail and your skin to encourage the nail to grow above the skin edge.
To manage discomfort, use over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Keep your toe clean and dry to prevent infection.
Avoid tight shoes or footwear that places pressure on the toe.

Call us if symptoms worsen or don’t improve after a few days.

Signs your ingrown toenail needs medical care

Home remedies aren’t a substitute for professional medical treatment in cases of infection. If your at-home efforts don’t work, it’s time to see us for help. Here’s how to tell.

The pain becomes unbearable

All ingrown toenails hurt, but severe pain is a clear sign that you need help. If it’s difficult to walk, wear shoes, or even touch the affected toe, come see us.

You see signs of infection

Infections are easy to spot:

Increased redness and swelling
Pus or drainage from the affected area
A foul odor coming from the toe
Fever or chills

If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. If you don’t get it treated, the infection can spread.

There is increased swelling and redness

While some redness and swelling are common with ingrown toenails, if they’re excessively swollen or deep red, it can indicate an infection, as these are signs your body’s immune response is trying to fight off the invading bacteria.

You have pus and drainage

The presence of pus or drainage is a clear sign of infection. Pus is a thick white, yellow, or greenish discharge your body produces in response to bacteria.

If you notice any pus from your ingrown toenail, you need medical attention.

Your toe smells bad

Another sign of infection is a foul odor from the affected toe — it means the bacteria in the pus are breaking down tissues and producing waste products.

You have a fever and chills

Fever and chills are signs of the infection spreading beyond your toe to the rest of your body. It means your body is fighting a more widespread infection and indicates a need for urgent care.