Ingrown Toenail

Resist the temptation to attempt to treat your ingrown toenail at home, schedule an appointment with West Coast Foot And Ankle Center and we’ll help control the infection while also mitigating pain. In particular, it is important that you resist the temptation to cut the ingrown toenail on your own. Meet with our foot and ankle specialists and we will provide the guidance you need to reduce the impact of your ingrown toenail and ultimately remain as comfortable as possible. Treatment modalities for ingrown toenails range from pain relievers such as acetaminophen to the use of specialized footwear, bandages, antibiotic creams and positioning padding between the skin and nail. In some cases, the use of Epsom salts might help.

If your ingrown toenail does not heal after the treatment modalities recommended by our medical professionals, we will consider surgery. However, surgery will only be considered if other treatment modalities are ineffective. The surgical procedure will remove a section of the nail. Such a procedure is referred to as a nail avulsion. The procedure prevents the edge of the nail from moving inward and tearing into the skin. If your child has a recurring ingrown toenail that is infected over and over again, the permanent removal of the nail will be considered. However, there is no reason to fear a nail avulsion as a numbing medicine referred to as an anesthetic is injected into the toe prior to the procedure to mask the pain.