Should I talk to my doctor about ingrown nails?

Talk to your doctor about ingrown nails if you are experiencing any pain, discomfort, or swelling in and around any of your nails. A doctor can easily remedy this common problem. If the flesh alongside one of your nails hurts when you touch it, you may have an ingrown nail. Another sign of an ingrown nail is a pus discharge from the area next to your nail.

Ingrown toenails can usually be treated at home if they have not caused an infection and are not causing serious pain. Experts recommend contacting your doctor if the pain is significant or is not getting better on its own. You may need oral antibiotics to clear an infection or, in severe cases, surgical repair of the nail.

In addition, people with diseases that put them at risk for greater complications from ingrown toenails should speak to their doctors right away. These include diabetes, damage to the nerves in the foot, or poor circulation. 

You should always speak with your podiatrist about ingrown toenails. Especially if the ingrown toenail doesn't improve within a few days or gets worse (therefore, increasing redness, swelling, odor, drainage of pus and red streaking up the leg) a visit to the podiatrist is recommended. For people who have a history of diabetes, nerve damage or poor circulation, a podiatrist should be consulted immediately.