What are toenail problems?
About one in three over 65s in England – more than two million people – cannot cut their own toenails, according to Age Concern. Older people can lose the ability to cut their toenails for various reasons, some suffer with arthritis while others are simply too stiff to reach anymore. If this happens, unless there is someone to help cut their toenails, several common problems can arise, including: • Ingrown toenail; this is where the nail curves downward and grows into the skin, usually at the sides of the nail. The nail then irritates the skin, creating pain, redness, swelling, and warmth in the toe. If the nail breaks the skin it can allow bacteria in, which causes an infection. Ingrown toenails can be especially serious for people with impaired circulation, diabetes or other systemic diseases. In some cases, it is only treatable with an operation. • Fungal nail infection; the infection is usually painless at first and the nail(s) may only look thickened and discoloured – often a yell
