Get rid of painful ingrown toenails once and for all.
Ingrown nails are extremely common and incredibly painful. The causes are many fold, but in most cases an ingrown nail is something you have little control over. Yes, they are inherited, and the possibility of your nail being curved is genetically related. Another cause for ingrown nails is trauma, which can cause nails to grow back irregularly. Also, fungus or Onychomycosis of the nail can make the nail thicker and help deform it. In some cases, we are able to alleviate the ingrown problem by treating the fungus.
There are different ways to treat nail fungus. The least successful is with topical applications to the nail. If this is done, it usually has to be in the very early stages and on mild fungal presentations. Oral medications can also be used, but have the risk of liver toxicity. Laser treatment on the other hand is extremely successful; and in a very high percent of cases, we can vastly improve the appearance of the nail. By doing laser, the nail can become healthier, thinner, and less deformed.
The treatment option that many patients opt in for, especially if the nail is painful and chronic, is to have the edge of the nail removed. This is a procedure that has been done for decades. It’s very simple, with little lay-up for the patient. There are no stitches required, no pain medication, and patients can usually return to standing on their feet the next day. Many patients go back to activities such as running within a couple days.The procedure consists of simply removing the edge of the nail and applying a chemical that kills the cells that make the nail reproduce. In some cases, where the nail is extremely thickened, or both edges of the nail are growing into your skin, the option to remove the entire nail may be desired. Contrary to what you might think, you’re fine without a nail. In fact, the indentation area where the nail used to sit almost resembles having a nail. Patients who want to wear nail polish can paint this area; and cosmetically, it looks pretty good.
All in all, ingrown nails can be very painful. The treatment options are simple and very high benefit. So, if you think you have a problem with this, please contact us, and we can help you get back to full activity.
The highly trained specialists at Anderson Podiatry Center are experts at alleviating ingrown toenails, and they can help you get rid of them permanently by removing the edge or edge that’s digging into the skin.
Our podiatrists can get you back on your feet—and back in your favorite pair of shoes—in no time.
- Long-lasting relief is our goal
- Most insurance plans accepted
- Medicare-certified, state-of the art-surgery center