One of the causes of ingrown toenails include deep-cutting.
When the ingrown nail digs deep into the skin, it becomes very tempting to cut the nails to the point where the nail goes into the skin (point of pain). However, if the nail is cut at this length, it usually results in deep-cut nails. The nail will continue to grow into the skin over time, which leads to a continuous cycle of deep-cutting and ingrowing toenails.
With too much deep-cutting, the area of skin where the nail was starts to grow hard and thicker. This means as the nail grows it comes in contact with this thickened skin.
The nail will keep growing regardless of this new obstacle and will undergo one of the two changes. Either it grows through this new obstacle or the nail changes shape to avoid the thickened skin.
Continous contact with this obstacle will cause ingrown toenails and inflammation which is painful.
How prevent nail contact with obstacles
If the nail avoids the obstacle, it deforms and becomes ingrown.
Furthermore, if you wear narrow pointed shoes during deep-cut nails, the chances of developing ingrown toenails increases. Due to having a narrow tip, the shoes pressurise from both sides on the nail. This causes the nail to either grow forwards or downwards (skin) resulting in the symptoms of ingrown toenails.
