Ingrown toenails are common and ordinarily treatable without surgery. Even so, in severe cases, people may need a small-scale medical procedure to treat an ingrown toenail.

If they notice them at an early on stage, people tin care for ingrown nails at home. Notwithstanding, in astringent cases — peculiarly when the smash has become infected — people may need to run across a doctor for advice, antibiotics, or a surgical process.

In this article, we explain when a person needs surgery for an ingrown toenail and discuss the process, recovery fourth dimension, and risks.

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Following surgery, it is advisable to go along a cast around the wound until information technology heals.

Ingrown toenail surgery is commonly an outpatient procedure that involves the employ of local anesthesia. Local anesthesia means that the person remains awake, but the doctor numbs the area then that the person cannot experience their toe.

Some doctors offer a allaying or twilight anesthesia during the surgery. With twilight anesthesia, the person remains awake simply groggy, and they may not remember the procedure.

If a person prefers general anesthesia, the surgery may take longer and require more training. With general anesthesia, the individual volition be unconscious, making it a proficient option for people who are very anxious about surgery.

Several surgical procedures tin can treat an ingrown toenail. An orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist tin offering communication on the all-time option, but a person should be sure to make them aware of relevant health issues, including any prior history of ingrown toenails.

The most mutual surgeries for ingrown toenails include:

  • Wedge resection. Here, a doctor removes a portion of the toenail to prevent it from digging into the skin. This procedure is likewise called a partial nail avulsion.
  • Toenail removal. A doctor may determine to remove the entire toenail. Removing the whole nail makes it more likely that the blast volition grow dorsum misshapen or deformed, which can increase the take a chance of future ingrown toenails. It can accept upwardly to xviii months for the nail to regrow fully. This procedure is too called complete nail plate avulsion.
  • Surgery on the tip of the toe. If other surgeries are unsuitable for a person, or previous procedures take failed, a medico may remove and reshape the soft tissue at the tip of the toe.
  • Matrixectomy. This process may be necessary if nail removal or wedge resection fails. It involves the removal of the nail bed in improver to the boom.

A doctor may also cut deep into the blast bed to relieve swelling or drain infected tissue.

An ingrown toenail, which doctors might call onychocryptosis, is a mutual complaint. Almost 20% of people who run into their doctor for foot problems need assistance with an ingrown toenail.

This painful status happens when the toenail grows downwards into the peel. Information technology nearly usually affects the big toe, with the corner of the blast growing into the nail bed. In most cases, it occurs due to tight plumbing fixtures footwear or improper trimming of the nails.

People can often treat ingrown toenails at dwelling house by wearing sandals to avoid putting pressure on the toe, soaking the toe in warm water, and keeping the expanse clean to assistance information technology heal on its own.

All the same, if there are signs of infection, a person should run across a doctor rather than trying to care for the smash at home. People should also seek medical care for an ingrown smash if they take a health condition — such as diabetes, nerve damage, or poor circulation — that makes home handling risky.

Ingrown toenails irritate the skin. Every bit a result, they tin can make it easier for bacteria and other microbes to arrive, which increases the risk of infection. Promptly treating an ingrown toenail reduces this risk. Some signs of infection include:

  • swelling
  • pus
  • redness
  • extreme pain
  • a fever

If the toenail is very bloated or inflamed, or information technology does not get improve after a few days, a doctor may diagnose an infection and prescribe antibiotics. They might likewise prescribe a special splint to forestall the toenail from growing deeper into the skin. If the toe withal does not heal, a doc may recommend surgery.

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Surgery for an ingrown toenail is an outpatient procedure.

A person can assistance speed their recovery afterwards ingrown toenail surgery by:

  • soaking the foot in warm water or Epsom salts every 24-hour interval
  • taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to help with hurting and swelling
  • applying an antibiotic ointment twice daily or equally often every bit a md recommends, if at that place is an infection
  • keeping the wound bandaged until it heals, which commonly takes several weeks
  • keeping the wound make clean and dry, except when showering or cleaning the area
  • fugitive strenuous activity that puts pressure on the nail until a medico permits a return to exercise
  • wearing properly fitted shoes that are not too tight
  • avoiding picking at the wound

For most people, the wound will heal within several weeks. The pain will steadily lessen in the days following surgery and should accept gone by the time the wound heals. Information technology can take several months for the blast to regrow, but the length of time will vary from person to person.

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A person should talk to their physician about the benefits and risks of surgery.

Small-scale complications are common following nail surgery, though serious complications are rare. However, an untreated ingrown toenail carries a much higher risk of complications than boom removal.

People should discuss the benefits and risks of surgery with their doctor, who will accept into business relationship their particular risk factors. People with a history of anesthesia complications and those with weakened immune systems may be more than vulnerable to complications.

Possible ingrown toenail removal complications include:

  • Toenail deformity. Toenails may grow back misshapen or deformed. In some cases, they might not regrow, or they may not attain their previous length.
  • Subsequent ingrown toenails. Removing ane ingrown toenail does not necessarily prevent a person from developing future ingrown toenails. In some cases, a person might need another surgery or even multiple surgeries.
  • Infection. A person may develop an infection following surgery. Surgery creates an open wound that makes it easier for bacteria and other pathogens to enter the body. It is important to meet a doctor for whatever signs of infection following surgery considering untreated infections can seriously impairment the toe or lead to amputations.
  • Anesthesia complications. A person may have problem waking up from general anesthesia or have an adverse reaction — such as an allergic reaction — to local anesthesia.
  • Allergic reactions. A person may take an allergic reaction to some of the surgical equipment. People with a latex allergy should disclose this data to the medical squad.

Ingrown toenails can exist painful, but with proper dwelling or medical handling, they are rarely serious. Surgery presents some risks, merely information technology can alleviate the chronic pain of an ingrown toenail.

People with ingrown toenails should discuss their handling options with a skilled, experienced podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon. Excellent medical care and diligent home management tin can reduce the risk of complications following surgery and increase the likelihood of a full recovery with the regrowth of a healthy nail.