CONDITIONS
What is an ingrown toenail?
Instances of an ingrown toenail are very common and can be quite frustrating for patients. An ingrown toenail means that the toenail is overly curved and grows into the surrounding skin. Typically, ingrown toenails occur at the sides of the nail.
In some instances, the ingrown toenail can puncture the skin and progress too far, allowing bacteria to enter and infection to occur. Causes of ingrown toenails include:
- The natural shape of the toenail
- Cutting toenails too much, resulting in the unfavourable growing pattern into the skin
- The wearing of improper footwear that irritates the toenail
What are the symptoms?
Patients typically experience the below symptoms when an ingrown toenail is present:
- Pain in the area
- Skin irritation and redness
- Swelling and warmth in the toe
- Pus/drainage and foul odour from the area where the nail punctuates the skin
How is a diagnosis made?
Since ingrown toenails are very common, they are typically very easy to diagnose. Dr Amir will examine the patient’s toe and locate the source of the ingrown nail. From there, treatment options become more available.
What are the treatment options?
Once determining the severity of the ingrown toenail, Dr Amir will determine how to properly treat the condition. If there is an infection already developed, an oral antibiotic may be prescribed. Ibuprofen can be used to treat the pain and swelling, and it is important to keep the area of the ingrown nail clean.
When is surgery needed?
In some cases, a minor surgical procedure is needed to fix the ingrown nail. This procedure is often performed directly in Dr Amir’s office. In the surgery, Dr Amir will apply an anesthetic to the area and then will remove part of the toenail’s side border. By removing the border, the patient will feel a release in the pain experienced.
On some occasions, the nail can become ingrown again, which would require removing the nail root. This procedure is also minor, and afterwards, a light bandage would be applied to the patient’s toe. After surgery, the majority of patients experience little pain and can continue their normal activity levels right away.
