INGROWN TOENAIL EXCISION
Ingrown toenails occur when the side edges or corners of your nail grow into the skin next to your nail. This causes the nail to cut into the skin, trap bacteria and causes pain and redness. Your big toe is most likely to get an ingrown toenail.
Normally, our toenails grow straight and forward. However, if the toenail is trimmed at the side, rather than in a straight line along the end, this can stimulate the nail to grow more sideways. Also, if there is more pressure on the side of the big toe when walking due to the way you walk or your shoes, this can also stimulate the toenail to grow sideways.
Symptoms:
- Ingrown toenails can be painful and usually worsen in stages.
- Early stage symptoms include:
- Skin next to the nail becoming, tender, swollen or hard
- Pain when pressure is placed on the toe
- Fluid building up around the toe
- If your toe become infected, symptoms may include:
- Red, swollen skin
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Oozing pus
- Overgrowth of skin around the toe
How do we treat ingrown toenails?
If the ingrown toenail is mild and in an early stage, sometimes you can use a strong tape to deal with it. This involves taping the fleshy part of the toe away from the toenail and also taping the toenail away from the fleshy part. This way, a gap between the nail cutting into the skin and the skin is created to relieve the problem. Also, soaking the area in betadine or antiseptic can lower the chance of infection.
If this does not work, the main treatment is then to cut out the piece of toenail cutting into the flesh.
Procedure: excision of toenail:
Ingrown toenail excision is an outpatient procedure that involves the use of a local anaesthesia. This means that you stay awake, but the doctor numbs the area so that you don’t feel your toe.
There are 2 types of surgical treatments for ingrown toenails.
A partial nail removal and a total nail removal.
Partial nail removal only involves removing the piece of nail that is digging into your skin.
During a partial nail removal, the sides of the nail are cut away so that the edges are completely straight.
Total nail removal where the entire toenail is removed. Removing the whole nail makes it more likely that the nail will grow back misshapen or deformed, which can increase the risk of future ingrown toenails.
Recovery after ingrown nail excision:
After excision, your doctor will send you home with your toe bandaged.
For most people the wound will heal within several weeks. The pain will steadily lessen in the days following the removal and should have gone by the time the wound heals.
You will need to keep your foot raised for the next one to two days and wear special footwear (not too tight or open-toe shoes) to allow your toe to heal properly.
You will be prescribed pain relief medication (NSAID for pain and swelling) and antibiotics to prevent infection.
Your toenail will likely grow back a few months after a partial nail removal. If the entire nail was removed down to the base, a toenail can take over a year to grow back.
Preventing ingrown toenails:
Trim your toenails straight across and make sure that the edges not curve in Avoid cutting toenails too short
Wear proper fitting shoes
