INGROWN TOENAIL

An ingrown toenail is a common and often painful condition. It is mostly seen in young people but older people may also have problems. The nail grows down and into the skin along the sides of the nail. It causes pain especially when wearing shoes. The cause of ingrown toenails is unclear but cutting the nail too short probably plays a role.

Treatment primarily consists of washing and covering with aluminium acetotartrate solution, for example. Sometimes the infection needs to be treated with antibiotics.

If the problem does not go away or returns after the toe has healed, surgery may be necessary.

The surgery is done after a foot block has been performed.

During the operation a small portion of the nail is cut away on the painful side. With a small incision in the skin of the nail angle, the nail matrix can be removed so that the nail no longer grows into the skin. The matrix is removed with a knife and a caustic liquid in order to be as sure as possible that everything disappears. Despite this, the ingrown toenail may occasionally return.