Ingrown toenails as anyone unfortunate to suffer from this condition can be extremely painful and debilitating. They are usually caused by ill-fitting shoes, socks or hosiery but other causative factors can include excess weight, poor nail care and f

Here are 4 essential tips to help prevent the occurrence of this painful affliction.

1. Clip toenails straight across so that they are just about even with the tip of the toe and file any pointed edges smooth with an emery board. Most ingrown toenail problems are actually self-inflicted e.g. ripping off your toenails with your fingers instead of cutting them as advised above. Improper clipping by cutting the nail too short or by rounding the corners can also problems.

2. Examine your feet daily after washing and drying to hep prevent any potential problems in the bud. A daily routine of foot care will pay dividends for long-term foot health. If problems are identified then apply an antiseptic once a day, preferably after a bath or shower. It is crucial to act promptly because one of the risk factors of ingrown toenails is the possibility of infection

3. Wear comfortable shoes and socks. As a golden rule shoes and/or hosiery should never constrict your feet. Feet do need room to move and breath. Ingrown toenails are most common in children, teenagers and young adults. Young peoples feet grow so fast that sometimes they wear shoes that are too short, tight or worn out which puts pressure and friction on the edges of the toenails. Foot health is not at the forefront of their thoughts at this age either! For this reason, the advice to examine feet daily and take appropriate action promptly is particularly relevant for children and young peoples feet

4. See a physician if you are a diabetic - don't allow a minor foot malady to become a potentially life threatening. Instead make an appointment with a foot specialist immediately. For an infection, antibiotics may be prescribed to clear it up. If your ingrown toenail is a recurrent problem, your doctor may want to perform a matrixectomy (removal of the germinal matrix, the source of nail growth, along with the edge of the nail plate).