Ingrowing Toenails and Nail Surgery
Ingrown toenails and deformed nails can be anything from uncomfortable in your shoes to painful and infected. Nail problems are one of the most common reasons people come to visit a podiatrist. They are difficult to treat yourself and require professional advice and equipment to help your pain.
Many nail problems are able to be treated without surgery, and most people find relief from pain after normal treatments. This is not always the case, however, and cases which have not responded or are unsuitable will need a local anaesthetic and surgery. Your podiatrist will discuss if you need further intervention with nail surgery.
Why Might You Need Nail Surgery?
The most common reason is an ingrown nail, this is when the nail pierces the side of the skin on the toe. This commonly affects the big toe nail and can become very sore and inflamed.
The Procedure
There are two types of surgery: a partial nail avulsion, where the offending piece of nail in the side is removed and a full nail avulsion where all the nail is removed. This will be discussed with you in the appointment to decide what is best for your nail.