Permanent ingrown toenail treatment
During my time as a podiatrist, I have come across many different types of ingrown toenails. From babies at just 6 months old to 91 years young. Ingrown toenails can occur at any age for many different reasons. Either way, they are all manageable one way or another.
Nails grow from the back forwards. Not from the end. This means the shape of the nail bed at the back will most likely dictate the shape of the nail as it grows.
Three of the most common causes of ingrown toenails are hereditary factors and or damage/trauma and fungal infections whether it be chronic or acute.
Hereditary
People with ingrown toenails in their families are usually at higher risk of experiencing them at some point in their life. That’s not to say they will get them. If they do get them it’s usually around their teen years. The shape of the nail bed where the nail grows from can be passed down to the next generation. If you have suffered from ingrown toenails it’s important to keep a check on your kid’s toes to make sure it’s not happening to them.
Damage
Damage to the nail can change the shape of the nail bed. When this occurs the nail will change its growth path and possibly cause it to ingrow. You may also end up splitting the nail causing a piece of nail to lodged into the skin. in this case, the chance is it will not occur again once the lodged piece of nail is removed.
Fungal nails
The fungal nail can cause a lot of damage to the nail itself. In minor cases may just cause the nail to lift a little, but, in severe cases, it can cause complete disfigurement of the nail. This disfigurement can cause nails to change their growth path, put pressure on skin and areas not wanted, and as a result of Pearce the skin. It can also again cause changes to the shape of the nail bed causing the nail to grow down an unwanted path.
Permanent ingrown toenail treatment
Luckily there are permanent treatments that can be done. Conservative management should always be the first treatment, gently clear out the side of the nail, and make sure the edges are nice and smooth. Then keep a check on it to see if the ingrown nail reoccurs.
If this conservative management fails, removal of the part of the nail that is ingrowing may be required. This quick procedure is done under a local anesthetic. A small piece of nail is then removed all the way back to the nail bed. A solution is then applied to the nail bed where the nail was removed to make sure the nail doe not ingrow down that same path. The procedure takes around 5 mins after the anesthetic has kicked in. The podiatrist will make sure your toe is completely numb before starting anything to make the procedure as smooth and comfortable as possible.
Both of these procedures are done via your local podiatrist who has had specific specialist training in this area.
If you have an ingrown toenail and want to get it checked over, then contact us today to book in with our experienced podiatrist.
