{"id":27688,"date":"2025-02-18T18:00:40","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T18:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=27688"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:30:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T14:30:27","slug":"ingrown-toenails-in-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/newborn\/ingrown-toenails-in-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingrown toenails in babies: causes and solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Just like adults<\/strong>, babies can get ingrown nails. This issue can sometimes lead to an <strong>infection<\/strong> if it isn\u2019t addressed in time. How should you trim your baby\u2019s nails to avoid this problem? Which tools are best suited?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Ingrown toenail in babies<\/strong>: all our tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding ingrown toenails in babies<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often <strong>located on the toes<\/strong>, this occurs <strong>when the nail grows into the skin<\/strong>, causing <strong>irritation<\/strong> and sometimes <strong>infection<\/strong>. In infants, the <strong>signs to watch for<\/strong> may include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Redness<\/strong> around the nail, <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>swelling<\/strong>, <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and a <strong>painful appearance<\/strong> to the touch. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, a <strong>small wound<\/strong> or <strong>paronychia (whitlow)<\/strong> may form, indicating a more serious infection.<\/span> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19566\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-scaled.webp\" alt=\"Ongle incarn\u00e9 b\u00e9b\u00e9 : causes et solutions may app sant\u00e9\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-feet-2024-12-05-18-33-17-utc-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ingrown toenails in babies: common causes<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ingrown nails in babies are <strong>most of the time harmless<\/strong>. Here are a few reasons why your infant might develop an ingrown nail.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetic factors<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some babies are born with <strong>natural predispositions<\/strong> that can promote the appearance of ingrown nails. <strong>Genetic factors<\/strong> play a role to consider in <strong>the shape and growth of the nails<\/strong>. For example, if one parent tends to have ingrown, curved, or thick nails, their baby may <strong>inherit this trait<\/strong>. In addition, nail shape can be influenced by <strong>the structure of the baby\u2019s toes<\/strong>. Nails that are naturally more curved or that tend to grow inward are more likely to become ingrown. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In some cases, thickening of the nail due to <strong>fungal infections<\/strong>\u2014although rare in infants\u2014can also be a factor. If you notice <strong>a fungus or a change in the nail\u2019s texture<\/strong>, you can <strong>consult<\/strong> a healthcare professional to prevent recurrence.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nail care<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the most common mistakes is <strong>cutting nails too short<\/strong>. This can <strong>encourage the nail to grow into the skin<\/strong>, causing an ingrown nail. It\u2019s best <strong>to use rounded-tip scissors or a nail clipper specifically designed for babies<\/strong> to minimize risks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want to learn more? Feel free to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/app.adjust.com\/1pblulz8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">download the May app<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where you&#8217;ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your journey as a new parent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19563\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc.webp\" alt=\"Ongle incarn\u00e9 b\u00e9b\u00e9 : causes et solutions may app sant\u00e9\" width=\"2487\" height=\"1659\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc.webp 2487w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc-1536x1025.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baby-foot-2023-11-27-04-53-36-utc-2048x1366.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2487px) 100vw, 2487px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ingrown toenail in babies: when and how to cut the nails?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can start <strong>filing or cutting your baby\u2019s nails<\/strong> from one month. Babies\u2019 nails are <strong>delicate<\/strong> and require <strong>special care<\/strong> during grooming. To prevent ingrown nails, it\u2019s advisable to <strong>cut the nails properly<\/strong> using rounded-tip scissors or a nail clipper specifically designed for babies. It\u2019s recommended to <strong>cut the nails straight across<\/strong> (including the free edges) to prevent them from growing into the skin. Also be sure <strong>not to cut them too short<\/strong>, as this can promote the appearance of an ingrown nail.<\/span> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc.webp\" alt=\"Ongle incarn\u00e9 b\u00e9b\u00e9 : causes et solutions may app sant\u00e9\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc.webp 2000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/adorable-baby-girl-playing-with-her-feet-on-white-2024-04-29-19-31-29-utc-1536x1024.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to treat an ingrown nail in a baby<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To <strong>treat an ingrown nail<\/strong> in a baby, here are some practical tips:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can <strong>soak your baby\u2019s foot in warm water<\/strong> for 10 to 15 minutes to help reduce swelling and soften the skin around the nail.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the bath, you can also <strong>gently massage the affected area<\/strong> to try to free the nail from the surrounding skin without applying too much pressure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you notice signs of infection, such as redness or warmth, you can give an <strong>antiseptic soak for the toe<\/strong> to help prevent a wound or paronychia.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s advisable <strong>to use rounded-tip scissors or a baby nail clipper<\/strong> to cut nails straight across, avoiding cutting them too short to reduce the risk of the nail growing into the skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the nail is too short to cut, you can opt for <strong>a gentle file to smooth the tips<\/strong> and prevent them from catching on the skin.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When to consult a healthcare professional<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes it may be necessary to <strong>consult a professional<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if you observe an <strong>infection that does not improve<\/strong> after a few days of home care,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if your baby seems to be experiencing <strong>significant pain<\/strong>, <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also, <strong>thickening or discoloration of the nail<\/strong> could indicate a fungal infection or another issue requiring professional attention,<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if <strong>your baby frequently has ingrown nails<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19551\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-scaled.webp\" alt=\"Ongle incarn\u00e9 b\u00e9b\u00e9 : causes et solutions may app sant\u00e9\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-scaled.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/cute-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-05-22-utc-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preventing ingrown nails in babies<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a few <strong>precautions<\/strong>, you can <strong>reduce the risk of ingrown nails<\/strong>. In addition to the nail-trimming advice, you can:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Disinfect tools before and after use<\/strong> to reduce the risk of infection. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use <strong>baby manicure kits<\/strong>, available in many stores, designed to be safe and suited to an infant\u2019s finger size. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Check for thickening of your baby\u2019s nails<\/strong> to help prevent ingrown nails. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, shoes play <strong>a role in preventing ingrown nails<\/strong>. It\u2019s best to <strong>choose shoes that aren\u2019t too tight and that provide enough room for the toes to move<\/strong> freely. This promotes good healing and reduces excessive pressure on the nails.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In conclusion, ingrown nails in babies <strong>can seem concerning<\/strong>, but with proper care and a few precautions, you can <strong>prevent recurrences<\/strong> and support good healing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-19557\" src=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc.webp\" alt=\"Ongle incarn\u00e9 b\u00e9b\u00e9 : causes et solutions may app sant\u00e9\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1204\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc.webp 2000w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc-300x181.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc-1024x616.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc-768x462.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.may.app\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mother-holding-newborn-baby-feet-2023-11-27-05-33-42-utc-1536x925.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>**<\/p>\n<p>Photo credits: seventyfourimages | Lightitup_now | tan4ikk | titovailona | Queenmoonlite35 | chasingafterdear<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US\/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Just like adults, babies can get ingrown nails. This issue can sometimes lead to an infection if it isn\u2019t addressed in time. How should you trim your baby\u2019s nails to avoid this problem? Which tools are best suited? Ingrown toenail in babies: all our tips. Understanding ingrown toenails in babies Often located on the toes, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":19564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[192,197,199],"tags":[144],"class_list":["post-27688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newborn","category-baby-6-12-months","category-baby-1-year","tag-baby-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27689,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27688\/revisions\/27689"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}