Oh yeah - not much fun. I get them often but have found a way of dealing with it when I feel one coming on. I don't recommend this as a first step - go and see your GP - they will be able to fix it for you. But, here are some tips:

* they occur because the nail is cut too short and can't sit above the skin properly so it is better to trim your nails twice as often and not so enthusiastically IYKWIM

* if you see that one is happening - before it gets all red or pussy - DO NOT cut anything. what you need to do is get a small amount of cotton wool (like about as much as you can pull from the top of an ear bud/cue tip) and twist it so that it turns out like a little mini rope. Then you use tweezers or similar and place it under the corner of the nail that is becoming ingrowing. Make sure that each end of the "rope" comes out above the nail (one on the "front" of the toe and one on the side) so that you have sort of pushed up the corner that is digging in (does all that make sense? hope so). Replace the "rope" each time you shower and after about 3 days the nail should have grown enough that it isn't cutting in anymore and you don't have to do it anymore.

Hope this helps