Painful ingrown nails may be congenital, caused by an overcurvature of the nail, or an imbalance between the width of the nail plate and the nail bed. Toe injuries that change the nail's contour also can lead to an ingrown toenail. Ingrown nails can be accompanied by other toe disorders, such as excess surrounding tissues or an outgrowth of bone beneath the nail.
Surgery is often necessary to ease the pain and remove the offending nail.
Only a portion of the nail may be removed.