Ingrown Toenail

Usually starts as an annoying pain from a nail edge. If left untreated it can lead to further pain, and infection.

An ingrown toenail is when the nail is curved downward and grows into the skin, usually at the nail borders (sides of the nail). There are a variety of causes for an ingrown toenail which include:
• the direction the nail grows in
• fungus thickened nail
• trauma or injury to the nail
• Improper nail trimming
• Improper shoe fit

Ingrown toenails cause swelling and thus the nail digs into the swollen tissue around it, sometimes piercing the skin. Bacteria may enter from a break in the skin and cause an infection.

There are several ways to treat an ingrowing toenail. We will present different treatment options based upon how often you have experienced pain from an ingrown toenail along with prior treatment and your general health. Many times a simple recontouring of the nail is enough to alleviate the problem.

Treatment options inlcude:
• recontouring the nail edge
• Partial removal of the offending nail plate
• Long-term elimination of the ingrowing edge of the toenail

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *