Ingrown Toenail

Ingrown toenails are common, and may eventually resolve on their own. But a persistently ingrown toenail can cause significant pain and infection that may require care by a foot specialist (podiatrist). Dr. Williams and Zemela are skilled podiatrists who can treat your current ingrown toenail and help prevent it from coming back.

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail is a painful problem that occurs when the skin on one or both sides of a nail grows over the edges of the nail. Sometimes the nail itself grows into the skin. Ingrown toenails typically occur on the big toe (hallux).

Symptoms of an ingrown toenail include:

• Pain along one or both sides of your toenail
• Redness and swelling around the nail
• Drainage and warmth and are signs of infection of the surrounding tissue

From the images below you can see how an ingrown can present itself in many ways.

Complications from an ingrown toenail can be significant if you have diabetes. Poor blood flow and nerve damage associated with diabetes can increase your risk of infection from even a seemingly minor issue like an ingrown nail. Anyone with an untreated or undetected ingrown toenail, however, can develop a dangerous infection in the underlying bone (osteomyelitis).

What causes ingrown toenails?

Ingrown toenails stem from a variety of causes, including:

• Wearing shoes that are too tight or have a narrow toe box that squeezes the toes together
• Improper trimming of your toenails 
• Injuries sustained during an accident or even a bad pedicure
• Naturally curved toenails that grow downward or are actually too large for your toes

How can I prevent ingrown toenails?

One common cause of ingrown toenails is improper trimming. You can prevent this by cutting your toenails straight across rather than curving them to match the shape of your toe. Avoid trimming your nails too short as well by keeping them even with the tips of your toes. Properly fitted shoes that allow your toes to spread apart naturally also help prevent ingrown toenails.

What is the treatment for an ingrown toenail?

Conservative treatment measures that Dr. Williams may recommend include:

• Soaking your feet in warm water to relieve inflammation and discomfort
• Gently tucking cotton or gauze under your nail after soaking to lift the ingrown edge away from the skin
• Applying topical antibiotic ointment to help prevent infection
• Medication such as ibuprofen to help relieve inflammation and pain

When should you seek help?

If you have been doing home remedies but they aren’t helping,  It is time to have your ingrown removed by Dr Williams or Dr Zemela . An ingrown toenail is often a much bigger issue than what is visible on the surface. Like an iceberg, the painful edge of the nail can extend beneath the skin, causing pressure, inflammation, and tenderness. Our approach focuses on carefully removing the portion of nail causing the pain while preserving a clean, natural cosmetic appearance.

The Lincoln Park Difference

✓ A few minutes in the office — most procedures are completed in minutes, so you can get back to your day.

✓ Comfort first — after the numbing medication takes effect, patients feel NO pain during the procedure, and for hours afterwards.

✓ A cosmetic-minded approach — At Lincoln Park Podiatry we focus on a neat, natural-looking nail appearance whenever clinically appropriate.

✓ Long-term relief — the procedure is designed to address the problematic nail border and minimize the chance of recurrence.

Example before-and-after images show what you can expect of our work. In many, you can see the large portion of nail that was removed—yet the toe still looks natural. Our goal is for the treatment area to look as though no procedure was done.

Don’t put relief on hold

✓  Get evaluated before ongoing irritation becomes a bigger interruption.

✓  Ask us what your cosmetic result and recovery may look like.

✓  Leave with a clear aftercare plan and confidence in your next step