Ingrown Toenail Surgery
Ingrown toenails are one of the most common conditions we see in-clinic. They can be painful, recurring and dangerous because they commonly lead to infection and deformation the the affected toes.
There are various reasons for getting ingrown nails including:
Any time you get an ingrown nail, it is important to have it assessed and treated by a chiropodist. If an ingrown nail is identified early it can often be treated conservatively without recurrence.
For recurring ingrown nails, and those with severe deformity it is often best to have the nail fixed permanetly. This can be done by having nail surgery. There are several types of nail surgeries. For ingrown nails, the most common procedure performed is a "partial nail avulsion with matrixectomy". In this procedure, the toe is numbed, then the ingrown portion of the nail is removed. To prevent recurrence, the nail root is cauterized so it never re-grows in the affected area. This is all performed in-clinic in under an hour. The patient walks in and walks out. After the surgery, the nail is only slightly narrower than it was originally, and aesthetically it usually does not appear altered.
There are various reasons for getting ingrown nails including:
- Cutting nails too short
- Cutting down the sides of the nail
- Curvy nails
- Wide nails
- Poor foot biomechanics - leads to increased stress to the big toe
- Tight shoes
Any time you get an ingrown nail, it is important to have it assessed and treated by a chiropodist. If an ingrown nail is identified early it can often be treated conservatively without recurrence.
For recurring ingrown nails, and those with severe deformity it is often best to have the nail fixed permanetly. This can be done by having nail surgery. There are several types of nail surgeries. For ingrown nails, the most common procedure performed is a "partial nail avulsion with matrixectomy". In this procedure, the toe is numbed, then the ingrown portion of the nail is removed. To prevent recurrence, the nail root is cauterized so it never re-grows in the affected area. This is all performed in-clinic in under an hour. The patient walks in and walks out. After the surgery, the nail is only slightly narrower than it was originally, and aesthetically it usually does not appear altered.
