The nails that grow at the tip of your fingers and toes consist of hard skin cells primarily made of the protein keratin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, or AAD. Fingernails and toenails also perform several important functions, including protecting the tissue underneath and signaling when you have a medical problem such as diabetes. Nails become ingrown when their edge grows into nearby skin, which can occur on both the fingers and toes.
Incorrect Nail Cutting and Maintenance
Ingrown toenails are more common than ingrown fingernails, and the problem happens on the big toe most frequently, according to Drugs.com. A major contributor to the problem, whether on the fingers or the toes, is trimming nails incorrectly. To trim your nails properly and prevent ingrown nails, you should avoid rounding or tapering the edges and cutting them too short. Instead, the Mayo Clinic recommends cutting nails across the top in a straight fashion and no shorter than the tips of your finger or toes, and Drugs.com advises keeping nails clean and free of excess moisture, such as sweat.
Inappropriate Footwear
A second major contributor to ingrown toenails specifically is wearing inappropriate shoes, socks or hosiery, according to Drugs.com. If footwear exerts too much pressure on your toes, the squeezing can push your nails into your toes, which encourages the nails to grow into surrounding skin. Forms of inappropriate footwear include shoes with high heels or pointy toes, tight hosiery and socks, and shoes that are either too tight or too loose, according to Drugs.com and MedlinePlus. Participating in sports, frequent walking and an awkward stance can also worsen the problem.
Injuries and Deformities
In addition to wearing inadequate footwear while participating in sports, enduring injuries during athletic activities can contribute to ingrown nails too. For instance, ingrown nails may result if you stub your toe against a hard object or tear a nail, according to Drugs.com. Moreover, individuals with certain foot deformities may have a higher risk of ingrown toenails because of excess pressure placed on their toes, states MedlinePlus.
Natural Traits
Certain people are more likely to get ingrown nails due to specific characteristics of their nails, such as the way they grow naturally, says Drugs.com. Examples include people with thicker nails, extremely curved nails and nails with adjacent skin that always grows over the nails. Such traits often make it more difficult to trim nails properly too, according to MedlinePlus, and being overweight can further increase the likelihood of ingrown nails, states Drugs.com.
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