When Does an Ingrown Toenail Require Expert Care?
Ingrown toenails are common, but they always require treatment. So, how do you know whether you should tend to it at home or take a trip to see your podiatrist? We answer that question and more here.
Ingrowing Toenails- What You Need To Know
Ingrowing toenails are one of the most common problems we treat in the office. Patients get ingrowing toenails at all ages, and if they are not treated appropriately, they can lead to severe infections and pain.
Ingrowing toenails occur for several different reasons. In younger children we see them occur when the nail is growing either wider than typical or too curved and the nail gets pushed into the skin on the side of the toenail. Shoes that are too small and push the skin edge into the toenail can also be a cause of this especially in children.
In adults we also see this develop, and it can be because of the nail growing more curved over time, but we also see this commonly occur after trauma that changes the way the toenail grows.
Ingrowing toenails pinch the skin on the side of the toe, and in the initial stages is typically painful and will start to get slightly red. If it is untreated, it will typically become more painful and more red, and it can also become infected.
Home treatment for this includes soaking the toes for 5-10 minutes twice daily with warm water and Epsom salt. After you do this, it is important to massage the skin edge away from the toenail to try and decompress the area. Some people recommend trying to place cotton underneath the skin edge, but this is risky, because it can lead to worsening infection, so we do not typically recommend this.
Ingrowing toenails are a very treatable problem, and it is amazing how many patients we see who do not realize we have a fix for this. One way to treat this is with a procedure called a temporary nail avulsion, where we remove either a portion of the toenail or the entire toenail temporarily and let it grow back.
The biggest problem with doing a procedure like that is that the ingrowing toenail typically returns again once the nail has regrown. The most common procedure we do for ingrowing toenails is called a matrixectomy. This involves removing the side of the toenail that is ingrown and then after this is completed, we use a chemical called phenol which destroys the nail cells that grow the nail at the base of the toenail. The largest benefit of this procedure is that the corner of the toenail should not grow back and ever give an ingrowing toenail again. There is approximately a 5% chance of recurrence of nail growth when we do this procedure, so it is not completely perfect, but statistically it works very well for patients to not have to go through the pain associated with an ingrowing toenail again.
These procedures are done in our office under local anesthesia and most patients tell us after the procedure that it was not nearly as painful or bad as what they were expecting.
If you are suffering from any foot and ankle pain at all, it is not normal, and it is important to treat this before it gets worse. Call your expert Colorado Springs podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons today at 719-488-4664 if there is any way we can help you!
You Might Also Enjoy...
5 Common Runner’s Injuries and How to Prevent Them
While running is a great form of exercise, it also comes with a high likelihood of injury. We discuss five of those common running injuries and how to prevent them here.
Can an Ankle Sprain Simply Heal with Rest?
While popular opinion states that sprained ankles can only be left to heal on their own, that can actually lead to complications and prolonged healing. We review why you should seek medical treatment for your sprained ankle here.
Do I Need Surgery for My Hammertoe?
If you have a hammertoe, you might be wondering if surgery is your only option to treat it. We explore all your treatment options for hammertoe here and review when surgery becomes necessary.
How Are Custom Orthotics Made?
If you suffer from chronic foot and ankle pain, you might need custom-made orthotics. Find out more about the process of making custom orthotics here.
Can My Ingrown Toenail Heal on Its Own?
If you struggle with ingrown toenails — a common foot condition — you might be wondering if they’ll go away all on their own, or if you always need to seek treatment for them. We review that and more here.