What is an Ingrown Toenail?
Ingrown toenails, also medically known as onychocryptosis, are a common and painful ailment. Ingrown toenails affect any age, but usually in adolescents. I have treated newborn babies and elderly patients alike for ingrown toenails.
An ingrown nail occurs when a portion of the nail plate punctures the surrounding skin and continues to grow into the skin. They are most common on big toes (hallux).
If you are experiencing consistent toenail pain, seek professional help and contact my office.; find the Ottawa Foot Clinic closest to you and call to make an appointment!
What Causes Ingrown Toenails?
Common causes of ingrown toenails are improper nail care (trimming toenails too short), improper pedicures, poor fitting footwear (shoe pressure from shoes that are too tight or too short), heels, foot trauma, poor foot mechanics and also a misshaped nail.
An Ingrown toenails initially (acute) are red, tender and swollen. When the nail penetrates the skin, a portal of entry for bacteria allows the area to become infected. Your body tries to heal the area and becomes much more swollen and painful. Healing tissue (granulation tissue) is produced but this area bleeds easily.
When left untreated (especially in adolescents) the area becomes soggy, allowing the nail to penetrate deeper into the skin and this may cause deeper infection to the bone or systemic. A deeper infection typically requires IV antibiotics in the hospital.
How to Treat Ingrown Toenails:
- soak the foot in warm, salty water several times each day to help reduce the swelling.
- apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment like Polysporin to the area and cover with a bandage. Your toe will look much better in 2-3 days. Professional help is required when your toe does not look better in that time. There is likely still a piece of nail spicule in your skin to be removed.
- antibiotics* if an infection is present.
How To Prevent Ingrown toenails
- proper hygiene and keeping your feet clean at all times.
- trimming toenails straight across; do not follow the toe contour (no rounded corners) like your finger nails.
- poor fitting (too small or too large) footwear can also cause ingrown toenails – ensuring that your shoes and socks fit properly is very important.
Do I Need Ingrown Toenail Surgery?
In severe cases an ingrown nail that has not resolved itself after two weeks typically requires surgery. In this case, surgery will address the acute infection and remove part of the ingrown toenail.
A chiropodist knows when the nail needs permanent correction. A matrisectomy, also known as partial nail plate avulsion, is the most common surgical procedure. It involves injecting the toe with or without an anesthetic and cutting out the ingrown part of the toenail down at the root; the piece of nail will not regrow. This gives a very permanent cosmetic result and there is very little pain or bleeding.
How long is toenail surgery recovery?
In most cases, my patients are back to their regular activities in about a day or so. Most patients tell me that they wish they did it sooner!
*Note: Please consult your physician before taking any medications.
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