Ingrown Toenail
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Ingrown Toenail vs Hangnail
An ingrown toenail is a nail problem. The corner of the nail grows into the skin beside it, and that side of the toe turns red, swollen and sore for weeks if nothing changes. A hangnail is a skin problem. It is a small torn strip of dry skin at the side of the nail, and it heals in a few days once you trim it. If the nail edge has disappeared into the skin, it is ingrown. If a loose flap of skin is catching on things, it is a hangnail.
At a glance
| The difference | Ingrown Toenail | Hangnail |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The nail corner grows into the skin | A split in the dry skin beside the nail |
| What it looks like | Red, swollen skin on one side | A small loose flap of skin |
| Does it hurt | Yes, and it builds | A sharp sting |
| What it does over time | Worse until the pressure changes | Gone in a few days |
| Treatment | Take the pressure off the edge | Trim it and moisturize |
Hangnail
A split in the dry skin beside the nail The skin along the nail fold dries out and tears into a narrow strip. The nail itself is not involved.
Side by side
The differences that matter
What it is
Ingrown Toenail
The nail corner grows into the skin
The edge of the nail pushes into the soft fold of skin next to it. The skin reacts the way it would to a splinter.
Hangnail
A split in the dry skin beside the nail
The skin along the nail fold dries out and tears into a narrow strip. The nail itself is not involved.
What it looks like
Ingrown Toenail
Red, swollen skin on one side
The nail edge is buried. The skin beside it is puffy and shiny, and there may be a bead of yellow fluid at the corner.
Hangnail
A small loose flap of skin
A thin strip a few millimetres long, standing away from the nail fold. The skin around it may be pink where it tore.
Does it hurt
Ingrown Toenail
Yes, and it builds
Throbs in a shoe and hurts when anything presses on that side of the toe.
Hangnail
A sharp sting
Sore when it catches on clothing, and sore for a minute if you pull it. Easy to forget about otherwise.
Where it shows up
Ingrown Toenail
Toes, almost always the big toe
One corner at a time, along the side of the nail.
Hangnail
Fingers, mostly
The side of the nail fold, on hands more than feet. Common in cold weather and with frequent hand washing.
What it does over time
Ingrown Toenail
Worse until the pressure changes
It will not settle on its own while the nail is still digging in. It can go on for weeks and the skin can pile up over the nail edge.
Hangnail
Gone in a few days
Trim it flat and it heals like any small tear in the skin.
Treatment
Ingrown Toenail
Take the pressure off the edge
Warm salt-water soaks, roomier shoes, and a clinician lifting or trimming the corner. A stubborn one is treated by numbing the toe and removing a narrow strip of nail edge.
Hangnail
Trim it and moisturize
Cut it flush with clean nail scissors — do not pull it. Then keep hand cream on the nail folds so the skin stops splitting.
See a doctor if
Ingrown Toenail
- The redness is spreading away from the nail fold
- There is pus, or the area is hot to touch
- A toe has been sore for more than a week or two
- The skin has grown up over the edge of a toenail
- The same toe goes ingrown again and again
- You have diabetes, neuropathy, or poor circulation
Common questions
Questions Patients Ask
Is a hangnail the same as an ingrown nail?
No. A hangnail is a torn strip of skin beside the nail and heals in a few days. An ingrown toenail is the nail edge itself growing into the skin, and it keeps hurting until the pressure is relieved.
Can you get a hangnail on your toe?
Yes, but it is much less common than on fingers. Most sore, red toe edges are ingrown nails rather than torn skin.
Should I pull a hangnail off?
No. The strip is attached to living skin further down than it looks, so pulling tears it open. Trim it flush with clean nail scissors instead.
Why does the skin next to my nail keep splitting?
Usually dryness. Frequent hand washing, cold weather, harsh cleaners, and nail biting all damage the skin along the nail fold. Regular hand cream on the nail folds prevents most hangnails.
When does either one need a doctor?
When the redness spreads away from the nail fold, when there is pus, or when a sore toe has not improved in a week or two. Infection at the nail fold is called paronychia and is easy to treat.