What is an ingrown toenail?
An ingrown toenail occurs when your nail grows into the soft, fleshy skin that surrounds the nail bed. This makes your toe red, sensitive, and swollen, and significantly increases your risk of infection.
What are the symptoms of an ingrown toenail?
Common symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:
- Infection of the skin surrounding the toenail
- Swelling of the toenail
- Redness around the toenail
- A sensation of heat or warmth
- Pus or other discharge
As your ingrown toenail gets worse, you might also experience pain or irritation on one or both sides of the nail.
How is an ingrown toenail diagnosed?
At Sarasota Foot Care Center, your podiatrist diagnoses ingrown toenails by reviewing your medical history, asking about your symptoms and lifestyle, and physically examining your feet and toes.
Ingrown toenails are visible to the naked eye, so a quick in-office exam is usually enough to make a diagnosis.
How is an ingrown toenail treated?
At Sarasota Foot Care Center, the team treats every patient like family. They offer same-day, permanent surgical care to eliminate ingrown toenails. The type of surgery or treatment that’s right for you depends on the severity of your ingrown nail.
Your podiatrist might recommend:
Lifting the nail
If you have a mild ingrown toenail that’s slightly red, lifting the nail may provide relief. To lift the toenail, your provider separates the nail from your skin using a splint or a piece of dental floss. Ultimately, this allows your toenail to grow outward, above the skin.
Partially removing the nail
If your ingrown toenail becomes infected, you might benefit from partial removal of the nail. Prior to partially removing your toenail, your provider administers a local anesthetic to prevent pain or discomfort. Once the anesthesia sets in, they carefully trim and remove the ingrown portion of your nail.
Removing the nail entirely
If you regularly experience ingrown toenails, and you have a chronic condition like diabetes, you might benefit from a complete nail removal. During this type of surgery, your provider removes the ingrown nail and nail bed. Afterward, they apply topical antibiotics to speed up your body’s recovery process.
Regardless of the treatment you undergo, the team at Sarasota Foot Care Center dispenses all the supplies needed to care for your toe after the procedure. This ensures you get back to a pain-free life as soon as possible.
Is there any way to prevent an ingrown toenail?
There are several things you can do to lower your risk of an ingrown toenail, including:
- Keeping your toenails at a moderate length
- Wearing comfortable shoes that fit properly
- Trimming your toenails straight across
- Inspecting your feet daily
If you work a physically demanding job in, for example, construction or a warehouse, you should also wear protective footwear like steel-toed boots. This can lower your risk of toenail injuries and related complications.
Don’t let an ingrown toenail negatively affect your quality of life. Schedule an appointment at Sarasota Foot Care Center today by calling or booking a consultation online.
