Posted 22 Jun '20

The Rise Of Ingrown Toenails

We have had a recent rise in ingrown toenail cases. It is a horrible thing for you to live with; the pain with every step makes the day awful and stops you doing the activities you love.  An ingrowing toenail can quickly become infected if you aren’t careful and then can cause even more problems for you.

We all think we can effectively trim our toenails but there is a skill involved, so never feel embarrassed by your toes- we are used to all sorts of foot problems. Things can easily go awry especially if you are genetically prone to ingrown toenails.  Injury is also a cause, you might have stubbed your toe accidently or playing sports which cause trauma to your toes. Frustratingly for some, thickening of your toenails, which happens with age, can also cause ingrown toenails.

Whichever way they form, they all require treatment. This can be as simple as, educating you on good toenail trimming techniques, to requiring surgery. We will always assess and discuss the best treatment choices for you personally. You can read more about the causes of ingrowing toenails on our dedicated webpage - Ingrowing Toe Nails

Nail Surgery - A Permanent Fix!

People often find the word “surgery” a bit daunting, please don’t, this is something we are expert at and perform many times a week. We have a 95% success rate, and even for that last 5% we just need an extra appointment to solve it. Nail surgery is a permanent solution, knowing you will be free from pain for every step you take is worth the investment.

How we do it-

• We anaesthetise your toe; it’s just a quick injection which means you won’t be able to feel anything during the procedure.
• We remove the outside edge of your nail- the bit that causes the pain.
• We use a chemical to kill a small section of the cells that grow nails, stopping that section of nail from ever re-growing.
• We dress your toe to keep it clean, ready for you to go home.
• Generally the treatment for two toes takes about an hour.

Things you need to be aware of-

• You are then in charge of your toe for a couple of weeks, we tell you exactly how to change the dressing and keep your toe clean.
• Shoe choice is key for a couple of weeks after the surgery; you will need some open sandal style shoes to allow for the dressing.
• Plan for a few weeks of no sports and try to rest your foot as much as you can.
• Be ready for the relief of never having ingrowing toenail problems again!
• Plan for a shoe shopping spree- you will now be proud to have your toe on display.

We have some photos below and some video clips on our social media accounts. Lots of people prefer not to see, as the toes do look sore and covered in iodine. We also have some patients who like to watch and ask lots of questions about the procedure- which is also fine. Either way, we are here to answer any questions you have about toenail surgery, just get in contact.

Our phone number is 020 3713 8361 or email  hello@flawlessfeet.com.