A Study on Ingrown Nails Perception, Care Behaviors, and Preferences for Professional Nail Care Shops

This study investigated men and women aged 20s to 50s in Daejeon Metropolitan City, Sejong Special Self-Governing City, and South and North Chungcheong Provinces on their perception of ingrown nails, care behavior, and preference for professional nail care shop. In terms of perception of ingrown nails, about 72.0% of the total had experienced ingrown nails, and the rate of experience was significantly higher in men, older age groups, and low-income groups(p<.05). The most common method of care was using a professional nail shop, with significant differences observed across gender, age, and occupation. Expertise and trust were the primary reasons for choosing a professional nail shop, while lack of interest was the primary reason for not using one. Perception of ingrown nails had a weakly significant positive(+) effect on preference for professional nail care shops, and both toenail condition and care behavior were found to be influencing factors(explanatory power 23.3%, p<.001).