An Ingrown nail is a nail that has grown into the skin instead of over it. This usually happens t…

An Ingrown nail is a nail that has grown into the skin instead of over it. This usually happens to the big nail, but it can also happen to other nails. An ingrown nail can get infected. It may be painful, red, and swollen, and it may drain pus. Anyone can get an ingrown nail, but adults get them more than children do. People who have curved or thick nails are more likely to get an ingrown nail. This is more common in older adults.

Ingrown nails don’t just happen to your toes. Your fingernails can also become ingrown. They occur less frequently in fingers because you’re not squeezing your fingers into shoes that don’t fit well. Also, the shape of your fingernails makes it less likely that they will become ingrown.

Ingrown nails actually have two medical names:

Onychocryptosis and Unguis incarnatus. However, ingrown fingernails do happen and they can become infected. This makes everyday tasks such as typing on a keyboard or doing the dishes painful.