When a toenail grows into the toe’s skin, it is said to be ingrown. Ingrown toenails usually affect the big toe. Ingrown toenails can be excruciatingly painful, especially if they get infected. An infected toenail may swell with pus and be slightly enlarged and red. On the other hand, Ingrown toenails are easily treated by a podiatrist.
Surgery for Ingrown Toenail Removal
Ingrown toenail removal frequently necessitates a small surgical treatment. Oral antibiotics are rarely required.
The foot doctor or other professional will numb the patient’s toe at the start of the process. However, the patient may feel a brief sting or burn from the numbing medicine injected into the toe before it takes effect. This pain lasts around 10 seconds and lessens when the toe numbs.
The podiatrist will then remove the portion of the nail that is growing into the skin. Most of the time, only a tiny piece of the nail needs to be removed. However, the entire nail may be removed when the infection is severe. The doctor can remove the ingrown nail root’s edge if the infection is not serious. This will keep the nail from becoming ingrown in the future while not drastically affecting its appearance. Once the toe is numb, the treatment takes less than 5 minutes.
Instructions for Aftercare
Typical recoveries are painless and usually relieve ingrown nail irritation within 24 hours. We ask patients to apply after surgery. The following are some pointers for healing your toe and avoiding further suffering caused by an ingrown toenail:
- Once a day, soak your feet in warm soapy or Epsom salt water. During each bath, keep them soaked for roughly 5-7 minutes. By utilising absorbent dressings like PolyMem, you can avoid soaking.
- Wear sandals or other comfy shoes with little pressure on your toes.
- Keep a bandage with antibiotic ointment on your toe when you’re out and about. When you go home, remove the bandage and let the wound air for 15-30 minutes.
- If your toe hurts, take over-the-counter pain medication. Severe pain is uncommon. Consult a doctor if over-the-counter drugs do not work.
Ingrown toenails are a frequent problem mainly caused by trimming the toes too short or wearing shoes that are too tight and push against the nail. On the other hand, the small operation to remove an ingrown toenail is usually painless, and if you follow the doctor’s aftercare recommendations, your toe should heal with little difficulty. Most people can resume normal exercise within a few days.
