| Ingrown Toenails |
General Information |
| Edges of toenails that press into the flesh
can cause pain, swelling, redness, and even infection. We now have
a number of procedures to fix this, using special chemicals on a Q-tip
to lasers- all ways to permanently remove the edge of the nail that
presses into the skin. This takes minutes to perform and rarely interferes
with daily routines. |
|
 |
Ingrown toenails often are the result of trimming your toenails too
short, particularly on the sides of your big toes. |
|
While they are common, ingrown toenails can be painful. When trimming
your nails, avoid tapering the corners so that the nail curves with
the shape of your toe. The sides of the nail will curl down and dig
into your skin. Shoes that are too tight or short also may cause ingrown
toenails. |
Ingrown toenail start out hard, swollen and tender, and later, may
become sore, red and infected. Your skin may start to grow over the
ingrown toenail. |
Soaking your foot in warm, soapy water several times each day is usually
a good way to treat an ingrown nail. Also, you can try inserting some
cotton or waxed dental floss between the nail and your skin. Please
contact our office to determine the best course of treatment for your
condition. |
Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed if an infection is present. Part
of your ingrown toenail (partial nail plate avulsion) may need to
be surgically removed if an acute infection occurs. The procedure
involves injecting the toe with an anesthetic and cutting out the
ingrown part of the toenail. |
You can prevent ingrown toenails by: |
• Trimming your toenails straight
across with no rounded corners.
• Ensuring that your shoes
and socks are not too tight.
• Keeping your feet clean
at all times.
|
| |
