Redness, tenderness, and oozing near your toenail are all signs that your toenail may be ingrown. If you’re suffering from an agonizing ingrown toenail, see how the top-rated podiatry team at Foot Pain Doctor NY in Midtown East, New York City, can help. Book your ingrown toenail evaluation online, or call the office to schedule an appointment.
Ingrown Toenail
What causes ingrown toenails?
Your nail can become ingrown and start digging into surrounding skin for a number of reasons. Usually, the primary cause is poor trimming and pedicure habits. For instance, if you cut your toenails too short, round out the edges, or tear your toenails, as they grow, they may start burrowing into your nail bed.
You can even struggle with ingrown toenail issues because of toe trauma — like stubbing your toe — or not wearing socks with shoes. It’s also common to develop ingrown toenails on an ongoing basis if you have overly curved nails, which are often inherited. These are known as “pincer” nails.
When should I get treatment for an ingrown toenail?
No matter what’s causing your ingrown toenail, it’s important to have it treated by a trained podiatrist at Foot Pain Doctor NY. Because your feet and toes are prone to infection because of decreased blood flow — they are the furthest points from your heart, after all — an ingrown toenail is something you should never try to treat on your own.
The caring podiatrists at Foot Pain Doctor NY encourage you to come in for an exam at the first sign of an ingrown toenail, especially if you experience:
- Oozing
- Redness
- Tenderness
- Inflammation
- Warmth to the touch
It’s also important to visit Foot Pain Doctor NY if you have an ingrown toenail if you have diabetes. Your risk of serious infection, and potentially amputation, is increased in this case.
How are ingrown toenails treated?
Treating an ingrown toenail involves a holistic approach, which depends on the complexity of your condition and whether or not you have an infection. In early stages, your podiatrist at Foot Pain Doctor NY may recommend placing a splint underneath your nail. They teach you how to change it regularly to encourage your toenail to grow away from your skin.
For more invasive ingrown toenails, you might need surgery (which is a short in-office procedure). Ingrown toenail surgery from Foot Pain Doctor NY begins with ensuring you’re entirely comfortable by numbing your toe. Your podiatrist gently trims away the ingrown part of your nail and treats the infection with a topical antimicrobial solution.
It’s less common, but in some cases, removing the entire toenail is essential, especially if you have a severe infection or continue getting ingrown toenails. Foot Pain Doctor NY podiatrists can even stop future growth of your nail with a chemical or laser treatment, so that ingrown toenail stops coming back.
You can conveniently schedule your ingrown toenail evaluation at Foot Pain Doctor NY directly through the website, or you can call to speak with a team member.