What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail is when your nail grows into the skin surrounding the nail. It is often very painful and shows signs of inflammation such as redness and swelling.

An ingrown toenail can be caused by numerous factors such as; poor toenail cutting technique, repetitive trauma, accidental trauma, genetics and poor foot hygiene. There are a variety of ways to treat ingrown toenails but a common permanent treatment is toenail surgery.

Podiatrists are trained in performing minor surgeries and are permitted to inject local anaesthetic. Once injected and the toe is numb, the podiatrist begins removing the part toenail which is causing the nail to become ingrown. The podiatrist then applies a chemical which inhibits the nail from growing back, therefore making it a permanent treatment.

Generally no time off work or school is required. However, we wrap the toe in a large bandage after surgery which is best to leave open for 3 days to allow proper healing, so you may need to wear open-toed footwear during this time. We try and schedule nail surgery on Friday afternoons so can have a few days to put your feet up. After 3 days you can go back to using your regular footwear, and full-healing should have occurred after 2-weeks.