Ingrown toenails can occur due to trauma, poor nail cutting technique, abnormal nail shape or poor footwear. When cutting your nails follow their natural shape and being mindful not to hurt the surrounding skin. Some nail shapes will grow straight into the flesh even though you cut the nail straight across. To prevent ingrown toe nails you must ensure that there is no nail spike left down the nail sides if you have to cut your nails into the corners. Nail spikes left in nail corners can embed into the skin and cause an infection or irritate the flesh. Some people have toenails that are prone to ingrowing regardless of how they are cut and require the removal the outer margins of the nail or the whole nail through a minor surgical procedure. This procedure can be organised at Wantirna Mall Podiatry if required.