Ingrown toenails in kids are often caused by improper toenail trimming, such as cutting the nails too short or rounding the edges. Tight-fitting shoes, repetitive stubbed toes, or even genetics can also increase the risk. When the edge of the nail grows into the surrounding skin, it can cause redness, swelling, pain, and sometimes infection.

If your child is experiencing toe pain, swelling, or signs of infection, our kids minor emergencies urgent care team can evaluate and treat the issue quickly to prevent complications.

An ingrown toenail may be infected if your child’s toe is red, swollen, warm to the touch, or producing pus or drainage. They might also complain of increased pain or tenderness, especially when wearing shoes. In more advanced cases, the skin around the toenail may appear overgrown or look like it’s growing over the nail itself.

If you notice any of these signs, it’s best to have your child evaluated by a provider. Our children’s urgent care team is experienced in treating infected ingrown toenails safely and comfortably. We’ll assess the severity, clean the area, and determine whether removal is needed.

Ingrown toenail removal may sound uncomfortable, but at Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, we take extra care to keep your child as comfortable as possible. Before the procedure, our provider will numb the toe using a local anesthetic so your child won’t feel pain during the removal. They may feel a little pressure, but the process itself should not be painful.

After the procedure, your child may feel some mild soreness once the numbing wears off, but our kids urgent care team will provide full aftercare instructions to help them stay comfortable and heal properly.

No, children are not put to sleep or sedated for ingrown toenail removal. At Little Spurs Pediatric Urgent Care, our urgent care pediatrics team uses a local anesthetic to numb the toe, so your child won’t feel pain during the procedure.

Because sedation isn’t necessary for most cases, there’s no need for a hospital visit or long wait! We’re here to help with same-day care for kids minor emergencies, including painful ingrown toenails.