Ingrown Toenails

Ingrown toenails are very common and can be extremely uncomfortable. They are often overlooked because people don’t think that a nail can cause so many problems. However, once you have had an ingrown toenail, you soon find out much it can impact you, particularly if you have an infection. 

The key to managing an ingrown toenail is all about getting the right treatment at the right time. Sometimes, just trimming the nail and removing a small spike can settle things down nicely; however, if you have had repeated infections requiring antibiotics, often the best form of treatment is to complete nail surgery under a local anaesthetic, making the whole experience after the injection pain free. Most of the time, we only actually need to remove a small section of the nail and once everything has healed, you barely notice that anything has been done. Sometimes you can get an ingrown toenail at the base of the nail around the cuticle. This can be managed by removing the nail and then letting it grow back on its own, which often solves the problem.

There are lots of myths around ingrown toenails, and one of the biggest is cutting a v in the nail. Unfortunately, this does not work. 

If you have a problem toenail, we start with an ingrown toenail assessment appointment, in which we complete an examination and talk you through the possible options. If appropriate, we can often then perform nail surgery within a week or two.