Ingrown Toenails Specialist

What are ingrown toenails?

Instead of growing out at the end of your toe, an ingrown toenail curves in, leaving a corner of the nail trapped beneath the skin. The big toe is by far the most common site of ingrown toenails, but occasionally they may happen in other toes. 

What do ingrown toenails look like?  

Ingrown toenail symptoms develop on one side of your nail, with common issues including redness, swelling, and pain. In some cases, swelling may grow so severe that you can see a tiny open wound around the nail.

When ingrown toenails aren’t treated, an infection may occur. With infection, you usually have increased pain, vibrantly red skin, significant drainage, and sometimes new abnormal skin growth called hypertrophic granulation tissue. 

How do ingrown toenails happen?

Some common causes of ingrown toenails are:

• Trimming your nails too short
• Rounding the edges of your nails
• Wearing tight shoes
• Stubbing your toe
• Participating in activities that require repetitive toe trauma, like soccer and ballet

You may also have a genetic predisposition toward ingrown toenails, with nails a little too wide for your toes. Some people have ingrown toenails without a clear cause. 

How are ingrown toenails treated?

If you suspect that you have an ingrown toenail, you can soak your foot in warm water to ease symptoms at home. If you don't see improvements quickly, or if you see signs of infection like pus and bright red skin, you need to book an appointment with Dr. Badalov as soon as possible. 

Never cut a notch in your nail or dig under your nail using manicure scissors, toenail clippers, or other sharp tools. “Bathroom surgery” often leads to infections and even worse issues, and it’s just not worth the risk when Dr. Badalov can treat you using sterile equipment and safe methods in the office. 

Dr. Badalov may use a variety of methods to relieve your ingrown toenail issues, including lifting the corner of a slightly ingrown nail. For more serious ingrown nails, Dr. Badalov can numb your toe and then remove part of your nail. 

If you have chronic ingrown toenails, Dr. Badalov can remove a whole section of the nail (including the nail bed), and then treat the skin there with a chemical solution or laser. This procedure stops that part of your nail from growing back. 

Dr. Badalov may prescribe an antibiotic ointment or oral antibiotics for an infection, or if your nail is at risk for infection as the skin heals. 

For ingrown toenail treatment from a proven professional, call Isak Badalov, DPM, or click on the scheduling link now.