Ingrown Toenail Surgery at Robina Town Medical Centre
Ingrown toenails are a painful condition. An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge or corner of a toenail grows into the surrounding skin instead of growing straight out. It can become very painful and make your skin red, swollen and possibly lead to an infection.
The severity of an ingrown toenail can be classified into 3 stages:
Mild: Your toe might get a bit swollen, red, and painful.
Moderate: In this stage, it's more serious. Your toe can get even more swollen, red, and painful. Sometimes, it might have pus coming out.
Severe: At this point, it's been a problem for a while. Your toe stays swollen and hurts, and it might develop extra tissue.
It's important to take care of your toenails to avoid these problems.
What Causes an Ingrown Toenail
Several factors can contribute to the development of ingrown toenails:
- Cutting the toenails too short
- Cutting the corner of the nail at an angle instead of straight across
- Tight shoes / poor fitting footwear
- Injury or trauma to the toe
- Medical conditions such as diabetes and peripheral vascular disease
Treatment for ingrown toenails
Non-surgical options for managing ingrown toenails can be effective for mild cases. Keep in mind that these methods may not be suitable for moderate, severe or recurrent ingrown toenails, and consulting a healthcare professional is always recommended for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Soaking: Soaking the foot in warm water for 15-20 minutes, several times a day, can help soften the skin and reduce inflammation. After soaking, gently lift the ingrown edge of the nail using a clean, sterile tool.
Medication: Pain relief and / or antibiotics may be required. If your toe is infected please book an appointment with your GP as you may need a course of oral antibiotics.
Avoid Aggravating Activities: Try to avoid activities that may worsen the ingrown toenail, such as wearing high heels, tight fitting shoes, or engaging in activities that put excessive pressure on your toes.
It's important to note that while these non-surgical options may provide relief for mild cases of ingrown toenails, they are unlikely to address the underlying issue.
If your ingrown toenail persists, becomes infected, or is causing significant pain, consult a healthcare professional or a podiatrist for evaluation and appropriate treatment, which may include surgical intervention.
Surgery for ingrown toenails
Ingrown toe nail surgery is a procedure that removes part or all the affected nail. Your healthcare provider will usually perform the surgery under local anaesthetic.
These surgical procedures may be referred to as a wedge resection, partial nail avulsion or matricectomy and they help to prevent the regrowth of the problematic nail edge or the return of an ingrown toenail.
What to Expect During Ingrown Toenail Surgery
Ingrown toenail surgery is typically a short procedure. The doctor performs the procedure under local anaesthetic, so you will be awake but won't feel any pain.
Your doctor will remove the affected portion of the nail and may apply a chemical to the nail bed. This can help prevent the ingrown nail from growing back in the same way. In some cases, the entire nail may need to be removed.
Recovery and Follow-up Care
Your doctor will provide you with specific post operation instructions however typically, you'll need to keep your foot elevated and rest. You may experience some discomfort, swelling and bruising, but this should improve within a few days. It's important to keep the feet clean and dry.
Book an appointment to discuss Ingrown Toenail Surgery
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
For ingrown toenail treatment, please phone Reception to book on 5578 9000.
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