Ingrown Toenails

Posted on November 2, 2020

What are Ingrown Toenails?

Ingrown toenails can be an ongoing and very painful problem. Ingrown toenails are particularly common in children and teenagers and can be caused by poor nail cutting technique, pressure from footwear (particularly in tennis and ballet dancing) or an involuted or curved nail shape.
 

How can Ingrown Toenails be treated?

In some cases an ingrown nail may only cause minor discomfort and can be easily settled by appropriately cutting the nail and clearing the nail edge or sulci. In some cases however ingrown nails can become very deep and infected requiring a more aggressive approach. If the nail is infected - (red, swollen with signs of pus), you must see your doctor for prescription anti-biotics. Once the infection has settled Leah can properly remove the ingrown section of nail to reduce discomfort. Podiatrist's are qualified to administer local anaethetic where required to enable a thorough treatment without the presence of pain.
 

Further Treatment

Where an individual has an ongoing problem with ingrown toenails the problem section of nail can be permanently removed with a surgical procedure called a Partial Nail Avulsion. This is a simple surgical procedure undertaken under local anaesthetic in the clinic. It involves removal of the problem section of nail right from the nail base and then application of phenol, a chemical which prevents the nail from growing back.

As this is a surgical procedure there is always risks involved and Leah can discuss with you whether or not you would be an appropriate candidate for this procedure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_treatment_of_ingrown_toenails

Comments are closed.