Ingrown toenail treatment and removal

An ingrown toenail occurs when the sharp corner of the nail begins to curve downward as it grows, eventually making its way into the skin on the sides or front of the toe. Ingrown toenails are typically caused by

• Wearing shoes that are too tight
• Stubbing your toe
• Incorrectly trimming your toenails

Learn more about ingrown toenail causes and symptoms.

There are several treatment options for ingrown toenails. If the pain is mild and there is no infection, try soaking your foot in warm, soapy water, or in apple cider vinegar to relieve the pain. Over-the-counter pain medications are also helpful in reducing inflammation. If the pain is severe or you notice an infection starting to spread, it’s essential that you meet with an ingrown toenail doctor right away. Other conditions that may impact the severity of your ingrown toenail include diabetes, AIDS, and/or poor circulation.

Ingrown toenails in children are not as common as ingrown toenails in adults,  but they can still happen. If you notice any redness or inflammation around your child’s toenails, first determine the cause. Check to see if their shoes are fitting correctly, or evaluate how the toenails are currently trimmed. Addressing these issues may solve the problem. If you cannot find the cause, or if your child’s ingrown toenail gets worse, it’s vital that you visit a pediatric podiatrist. Don’t try to fix it yourself or allow your child to pick at the nail, as it could become infected.

If at-home remedies aren’t addressing your pain, a podiatrist might recommend surgery to treat your ingrown toenail. At Arizona Foot Doctors, surgery is our last resort. Non-invasive treatment options that we’ll embark on before discussing surgery include:

• In-office toenail trimming and therapeutic massages to reduce the swelling and pain
• Laser therapy treatment to reduce inflammation and strengthen the surrounding tissue
• In-depth evaluation of your footwear
• Antibiotics to fight toenail infection

If an aggressive treatment method is required, there are several procedures that Arizona Foot Doctors offers. The type of ingrown toenail removal/procedure you need depends on how deep the ingrown nail is and whether or not it’s infected.

Partial or full ingrown toenail removal: When a partial removal occurs, the doctor either trims or fully removes a part of the nail after first injecting you with a local anesthetic. If you get an ingrown toenail on the same nail repeatedly, the podiatrist may decide to remove all of the nail and tissue. This procedure, which uses a combination of medication and lasers, prevents the nail from growing back.

Many patients worry that the ingrown toenail procedure will be painful, but most people don’t experience any significant pain or discomfort. The relief after the surgical treatment is immediate, and the numbing medication often wears off within three hours. If your ingrown nail was infected, you might still feel some lingering pain, but your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to fight the rest of the pain. Any residual soreness fades quickly.

Yes! After your ingrown toenail treatment, Arizona Foot Doctors will provide a customized prevention plan to avoid this pain in the future. Sometimes, a routine as simple as keeping your feet moisturized and clean can help prevent ingrown nails.

Your footwear matters when it comes to treating your ingrown toenails. If you want to avoid an ingrown nail in the future, then you must have shoes and sock that fit correctly. If your shoes are too small, then your toes will be crowded, and the pressure may lead to ingrown nails.