Ingrown Toenail Symptoms

Ingrown toenail is a common disorder that most often affects the outer edge of the big toe. However, the nail on any toe, or the nail on both sides of a toe, can become ingrown. The most common signs and symptoms are pain, redness, and swelling at the corner of a toenail.

At first you may notice the sides of the toe becoming red and painful with some swelling. There may not be any drainage.

If not taken care of extra skin and tissue will grow around the sharp point of the nail. A yellowish drainage may begin. This is the body's response to the trauma of a nail irritating the skin and is not necessarily an infection.


Sometimes an infection develops. In this case, the swelling will become worse, and there may be white- or yellow-colored drainage from the area. A lighter-colored area of the skin may be surrounded by red skin.