Onychocryptosis: A review of epidemiology, risk factors, classification, complications and effective therapeutic strategies

PAWLIK, Paweł, ZARODA, Przemysław, DĄDA, Paweł, NIEWINNA, Patrycja, ŻUCHOWSKI, Michał, MAŃDZIUK, Dominika, KOŁODZIEJ, Klaudia, KOŁODZIEJ, Wojciech, WAWRZKOWICZ, Jakub, KORGA, Monika and PANUCIAK, Kinga. Onychocryptosis: A review of epidemiology, risk factors, classification, complications and effective therapeutic strategies. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2024;55:199-216. eISSN 2391-8306. https://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2024.55.013

https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/47963

https://zenodo.org/records/10590710

The journal has had 40 points in Minister of Science and Higher Education of Poland parametric evaluation. Annex to the announcement of the Minister of Education and Science of 05.01.2024 No. 32318. Has a Journal's Unique Identifier: 201159. Scientific disciplines assigned: Physical culture sciences (Field of medical and health sciences); Health Sciences (Field of medical and health sciences).

Punkty Ministerialne 40 punktów. Załącznik do komunikatu Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z dnia 05.01.2024 Lp. 32318. Posiada Unikatowy Identyfikator Czasopisma: 201159. Przypisane dyscypliny naukowe:  Nauki o kulturze fizycznej (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu); Nauki o zdrowiu (Dziedzina nauk medycznych i nauk o zdrowiu).© The Authors 2024;

This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland

Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author (s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non commercial license Share alike.

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

Received: 10.01.2024. Revised: 27.01.2024. Accepted: 28.01.2024. Published: 30.01.2024.

Onychocryptosis: A review of epidemiology, risk factors, classification, complications and effective therapeutic strategies

Paweł Pawlik, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7910-3911, pawe.pawlik@gmail.com

Przemysław Zaroda, Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Lublin al. Kraśnicka 100, 20-718 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3241-5563, pemo4422@gmail.com 

Paweł Dąda, Voivodeship Specialist Hospital in Lublin al. Kraśnicka 100, 20-718 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-4627-7113, paweldada44023@gmai.com 

Patrycja Niewinna, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin, Poland                                             

https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8933-8324, patrycjaniewinna21@gmail.com

Michał Żuchowski, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin St. Jaczewskiego 8, 20-954 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1511-3568, michal.zuchowski98@gmail.com 

Dominika Mańdziuk, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1502-8826, dominikamandziuk1@gmail.com 

Klaudia Kołodziej, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin,  Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7494-6147, kolodziej.klaudia61@gmail.com 

Wojciech Kołodziej, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8816-8053, kolodziej.woo@gmail.com  

Jakub Wawrzkowicz, Voivodeship Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszów St. Lwowska 60,  
35-301 Rzeszów, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2837-6030, jakubpiotr.wawrzkowicz@gmail.com  

Monika Korga, Voivodeship Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Rzeszow St. Lwowska 60, 35-301 Rzeszów, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5326-6457, monika44x@gmail.com 

Kinga Panuciak, Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 4 in Lublin St. Jaczewskiego 8, 20-954 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9014-5171, kinga.panuciak26@gmail.com  

Corresponding author: 

Paweł Pawlik, 1 Military Clinical Hospital in Lublin al. Racławickie 23, 20-049 Lublin, Poland

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7910-3911, pawe.pawlik@gmail.com 

Abstract:

Ingrown toenails, clinically known as onychocryptosis, represent a prevalent nail pathology. The clinical manifestation involves symptoms typical for a foreign body reaction and in severe cases, tissue hypertrophy with complications may occur.  Key risk factors include improper nail care, trauma, obesity, tight footwear, poor foot hygiene, and genetic predisposition. The condition predominantly affects individuals between the first and the third decades of life and older adults, with a predilection for the great toe, especially the lateral skin fold. The Heifetz and Scholz classifications delineate the stages of ingrown toenails based on severity. Therapeutic approaches range from conservative procedures, such as taping, dental floss, gutter treatment, cotton nail cast, braces and super elastic wire to surgical interventions like partial or total nail avulsion, matricectomy and advanced techniques like the Vandebos procedure or the Winograd procedure. Although many studies have analysed available treatment methods, there is no consensus among specialists regarding the best therapeutic strategy. Complications include paronychia, infection, and scarring. A comprehensive therapeutic approach should consider clinical severity, patient preferences, and both conservative and surgical interventions, emphasizing the importance of larger randomized clinical trials to establish definitive guidelines.  

Aim of this study:

The current literature on epidemiology, risk factors, classification, complications  and current therapeutic procedures in ingrown toenail was reviewed. In order to update knowledge about this disease entity.

Material and methods:

A systematic review of the scientific and medical literature from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases was carried out.

Key words: ingrown toenail; onychocryptosis;  matricectomy.