What You Need to Know About Ingrown Toenail Surgery

If you have ever had an ingrown toenail in the past, you know how painful it can get. Your daily routines can definitely be affected, especially if your activities mostly involve walking or running around. You might have wished for a permanent treatment for ingrown toenails, and if you don’t know it yet, there IS a permanent solution.

The Basics

Ingrown toenails, medically known as onychocryptosis, can be caused by trimming too nails a little too short, especially on the sides of the big toes. They can also be caused by pressure from ill-fitting footwear, fungus infection, injury, poor foot structure, or even heredity. You don’t have to worry, however, because ingrown toenails are common. If they are left untreated, though, they may become infected, sore and red. The skin might also start to grow over the ingrown toenail, adding more pain.

A  persistent ingrown toenail can signify more serious consequences. For example, a localized infection of the nail border (also known as paronychia) can progress to a deeper soft tissue infection (cellulitis), which in turn, can progress to a bone infection (osteomyelitis). Other complications can include scarring of the surrounding skin and nail borders as well as thickened and deformed fungal nails.

The Treatments

In some cases, treating ingrown toenails can be as simple as soaking the foot in a litre/quart of warm water and  a tablespoon of salt several times a day. You should definitely start wearing shoes that fit you properly. It is best to avoid wearing tight socks and shoes immediately. Antibiotics are sometimes  prescribed if the podiatrist detects an infection.

In severe cases, however, the treatment for ingrown toenails will be surgery, especially if there is an acute infection present. This procedure is also called partial nail plate avulsion. It involves injecting the toe with an anesthetic and cutting out the ingrown part of the toenail. For more details on the procedure, check out this Real Nail Surgery performed by Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM.

Preventive Measures

The development of ingrown toenails can be prevented by doing the following:

*Ensure that the socks and shoes wear are not too tight.

*Trim your toenails straight across, avoid having rounded corners.

*Keep your feet clean and dry at all times.

* If athlete's foot occur, treat that immediately.

Setup an appointment with Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM if you are interested in having your ingrown toenails treated surgically and permanently with local anaesthetics