Ingrown Toenails or Fingernails

About Ingrown Toenails or Fingernails

An ingrown nail grows into the surrounding flesh of the affected area instead of over it. It is mostly found to affect toenails. It usually occurs for people with curved or thick nails or those wearing tight fitting shoes. However, anyone can suffer from ingrown nails as a result of an injury.

Diabetics need to be extra careful about treating or preventing ingrown toenails as they are at a greater risk of developing serious complications.

How Ingrown Nails Are Removed ?

An ingrown nail can be treated by medicine, or small incisions done by the doctor. In the first place, conservative methods are used to treat ingrown nails. However, if they fail to cure it completely, certain surgical methods can be helpful in treating.

Most doctors perform Matrixectomy to treat ingrown nails. Matrixectomy is a surgical treatment that includes dissection, chemical or electrical methods. The procedure involves removal of cells from the nail matrix. This is commonly reserved for chronic or recurrent situations.

For mild grown nails, a flexible tube is inserted between the nail and nail fold to lift the nail out from under the surrounding skin. It is done to reduce the swelling. In some cases, the ingrown section of the nail is removed by making small cuts.

It is good to treat an ingrown toe nail as it may lead to further infections. There are several methods to treat them:

1. Caring at home:  Taking good care of nails at home by keeping them clean, cutting them without digging corners and using cotton carefully to lift the edge above the skin can help treat ingrown nails that are not much severe.

2. Medications:  Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are pain relievers that can help in reducing the pain caused due to ingrown nails.

3. Surgical treatments:  The nail can be treated by detaching it or permanently eliminating it. Matrixectomy is a famous procedure that effectively treats ingrown nails.

Simple precautionary measures can prevent another ingrown nail:

• Wear shoes and socks that fit well and aren’t too tight.
• Trim your nails carefully so that they don’t have sharp edges.
• Keep your nails clean and dry.

Dr. Syed’s team of healthcare professionals in Upland, California are known for their medical expertise across a wide range of services, and are able to handle any inquires you may have in regards to ingrown nails. Contact us today at (909) 946-0844!