One of the reassuring things about ingrown toenails is that they are extremely common. They affect people of all ages, occupations and activity levels. Whether you are a teenager playing weekend sport, a tradesperson wearing safety boots, an office worker or a retiree, an ingrown toenail can develop if the conditions are right.
Although anyone can develop an ingrown toenail, certain groups are affected more frequently because of differences in nail shape, footwear, activity levels and general health.
Teenagers and Young Adults
Ingrown toenails are particularly common during adolescence and early adulthood.
Several factors contribute to this increased risk. Nails tend to grow relatively quickly during the teenage years, while hormonal changes often increase sweating around the feet. Softer skin is more easily penetrated by the edge of the nail, particularly when combined with prolonged use of enclosed footwear.
Many teenagers are also highly active, participating in sports that involve repeated running, jumping and rapid changes of direction. These repetitive forces place additional pressure on the toes, increasing the likelihood of irritation around the nail edges.
For these reasons, teenagers represent one of the largest groups seeking treatment for ingrown toenails.
Athletes
Athletes frequently develop ingrown toenails because of the repetitive forces placed through the forefoot.
Football, soccer, rugby, netball, basketball, tennis, hiking, dancing and long-distance running all involve repeated loading of the toes. Constant stopping, starting, pivoting and acceleration increase pressure between the nail edge and the surrounding skin.
Sport-specific footwear may also contribute. Football boots, cycling shoes, climbing shoes and running shoes are often designed to fit snugly for performance, but if they are excessively tight through the toe box they may increase compression around the nail.
Importantly, remaining active is not the problem. Rather, recognising symptoms early and addressing them appropriately helps prevent a minor irritation from becoming a chronic ingrown toenail.
People Who Wear Safety Boots or Enclosed Footwear
Many occupations require prolonged use of enclosed footwear.
Tradespeople, healthcare workers, military personnel, police officers, hospitality staff and others who spend long hours in work boots or enclosed shoes may experience continuous pressure around the toes throughout the working day.
This does not mean the occupation causes the problem, but prolonged compression can contribute when combined with other risk factors such as naturally curved nails or previous trauma.
People with Naturally Curved Nails
Some individuals seem to develop ingrown toenails repeatedly despite taking excellent care of their nails.
In many of these cases, the explanation lies in their anatomy rather than their nail-cutting technique. Naturally curved nails or prominent nail folds increase the likelihood that the nail edge will contact the surrounding skin as it grows.
This anatomical variation often explains why ingrown toenails occur repeatedly within the same family.
Children
Although many people associate ingrown toenails with teenagers and adults, young children can also develop the condition.
Children may present with painful, swollen toes that parents initially mistake for an infection or injury. In some cases, rapidly growing nails, inherited nail shape or minor trauma during play contribute to the problem.
Because children may become anxious about treatment, explaining the condition carefully and providing appropriate pain management are important parts of their care.
Older Adults
Older adults develop ingrown toenails for different reasons.
As we age, nails often become thicker and more difficult to trim. Reduced flexibility may also make nail care more challenging, while arthritis, reduced eyesight or reduced hand function can make cutting the nails accurately increasingly difficult.
Circulatory disorders, diabetes and reduced healing capacity may further complicate treatment, making early assessment particularly important.
People Living with Diabetes
Diabetes deserves special mention because it can affect both sensation and healing.
Reduced sensation means that some people may not recognise the problem until it has become quite advanced. Diabetes may also impair wound healing and increase susceptibility to infection.
This does not mean people with diabetes cannot undergo treatment. Rather, it highlights the importance of early assessment and careful management. Many patients with diabetes are successfully treated, but treatment plans often require additional consideration of circulation, sensation and overall health.
People with Excessive Sweating
Individuals who experience excessive sweating of the feet may also have an increased risk.
Persistently moist skin becomes softer and more vulnerable to penetration by the nail edge. This is particularly common in adolescents and athletes but may occur at any age.
Managing excessive sweating may therefore form one component of preventing recurrent ingrown toenails in selected patients.
People Who Have Had Previous Ingrown Toenail Surgery
Unfortunately, some patients experience recurrence after previous treatment.
This does not necessarily mean surgery has failed completely. In some cases, a small portion of the nail matrix remains active and continues producing a narrow nail spike. In others, the original diagnosis may not have fully explained the underlying problem.
Patients presenting after previous unsuccessful procedures often require a more detailed assessment before deciding on the most appropriate treatment moving forward.
Anyone Can Develop an Ingrown Toenail
Despite these recognised risk factors, it is important to remember that ingrown toenails are not limited to any one group.
Many people who develop them have no obvious risk factors at all. Others have several contributing factors working together. The goal is therefore not to identify a single cause, but to understand the unique combination of factors affecting each individual.
Evidence Update
Large clinical studies consistently show that ingrown toenails occur across all age groups but are particularly common in adolescents and young adults. Current evidence supports the view that anatomical factors, activity levels, footwear and nail morphology all contribute to risk, rather than any single factor acting alone.
Patient Tip
If you have experienced several ingrown toenails over the years, it may be worth considering whether your natural nail shape—not simply your nail-cutting technique—is contributing to the problem. Understanding this can help guide more appropriate long-term treatment.