Ingrown nails, the most common nail impairment, are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling. Usually, toenails grow straight out. Sometimes, however, one or both corners or sides curve and grow into the flesh. The big toe is usually the victim of this condition, but other toes can become affected. Ingrown toenail surgery is usually performed with local anesthesia. Removal of a portion of the nail, removal of the entire toenail, and removal of the infected tissue is performed depending on the severity of the condition.
There are many causes of ingrown toenails such as:
- Injury to the toe or toenail
- Cutting the toenail too short
- Wearing loose or tight shoes
- Toenail disease or deformity such as fungus toenail or abnormally shaped toenail known as a dystrophic toenail
- Bone spur to the toe
- Foot deformities such as bunion and hammertoe deformity
Treatment depends on the severity of the ingrown toenail as mentioned.
For evaluation, confirming diagnosis, and treatment options, make an appointment with Dr. Novabilski