 | This article needs more reliable medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources. (January 2020) |  |
| Ingrown nail | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Unguis incarnatus or Ingrown toenail[1] |
 | |
| An ingrown toenail on the large toe of the right foot | |
| Specialty | Orthopedics |
An ingrown nail, also known as onychocryptosis from Greek: ὄνυξ (onyx) 'nail' and κρυπτός (kryptos) 'hidden', is a common form of nail disease. It is an often painful condition in which the nail grows so that it cuts into one or both sides of the paronychium or nail bed. While ingrown nails can occur in the nails of both the hands and the feet, they occur most commonly with the toenails (as opposed to fingernails), and for the most part are only problematic and painful on the big toe.[citation needed]
A common conception is that the nail enters into the paronychium, but an "ingrown toenail" can simply be overgrown toe skin.[2] The condition starts first from a microbial inflammation of the paronychium, and then a granuloma, which results in a nail buried inside of the granuloma.[3] A true ingrown toenail is caused by actual penetration of flesh by a sliver of toenail.[4]
- ^ James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2002). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology (10th ed.). Saunders. p. 789. ISBN 978-0-7216-2921-6.
- ^ Chapeskie H (2008). "Ingrown toenail or overgrown toe skin?". Canadian Family Physician. 54 (11): 1561–2. PMC 2592332. PMID 19005128. Archived from the original on 14 March 2011.
- ^ Ingrown toenail: Overview. Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). 28 June 2018.
- ^ Ingrown Toenail: "Ingrown Toenail – NHS Choices". Archived from the original on 30 November 2010. Retrieved 30 November 2010.