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An ingrown toenail is the result of a nail growing into the skin around it. This often occurs at either edge of the big toe. Many times they are hereditary, passed down from parent to child. If the ingrown nail is not hereditary, it may be caused by an injury, a tight shoe fit, or faulty nail trimming. Usually located on the big toe, an ingrown nail is a curved nail growing into the skin. It can be both sides of the nail or just on one side-which is more common.
Symptoms:
Ingrown nails may cause at the tip or all the way down the side of the toe. The pain is often worse while wearing shoes or sometimes the bed sheets themselves may irritate it. An ingrown nail could lead to infection or further inflammation. If infected, it's likely to see either pus or redness.
Treatment
Often times ingrown nails can be permanently treated in our offices. A simple procedure eliminates the ingrown portion of the nail, while leaving the majority of the toenail intact. This procedure (matrixectomy) can help to prevent regrowth and recurrent infections and complications of ingrown toe nails. Laser Surgery is often the treatment used to cure this disorder. After surgery to prevent future ingrown nails you should make sure your shoes are not too tight and trim your toenails straight across.
