Don't Let Your Toenail Win: Fixing and Preventing Ingrown Toenails

What do all great stories have?

A captivating beginning, a meaty middle and a satisfying end.

But when the story involves a painful toenail growing into your skin, the ending can feel more like a horror story than a happy one. In the battle between you and your toenail, shouldn't you come out on top?

Don't have an ingrown toenail? Great, let's keep it that way.

Coming out on top starts with prevention.

Taking steps to avoid developing ingrown toenails is much easier (and less painful) than treating them. The most common causes (and how to avoid them) include:

- Wearing incorrect footwear: Shoes that are too tight can restrict toenail growth, leading to ingrown toenails.

- Improper nail cutting: Cutting nails too short or rounding the edges can encourage the nails to grow into the skin.

- Toenail trauma: Minor injuries to the toe resulting from accidental blunt force, such as dropping a heavy object or stubbing your toe, can lead to problems.

- Poor foot hygiene: Keep feet clean and dry to reduce the risk of infection and inflammation.

Think you might have an ingrown toenail? Here's what to look for.

If you suspect that you have an ingrown toenail, don't postpone treatment as it can lead to further complications. Clinically, ingrown toenails are described as progressing through three stages of severity, which can guide diagnosis and treatment (Heidelbaugh and Lee, 2009, p. 304):

Stage 1 (Mild): Typically characterised by pain,swelling and redness of the skin surrounding the nail.

Stage 2 (Moderate): Sores, increased swelling and oozing of cloudy or pus-like fluid.

Stage 3 (Severe): Increased pain, long-lasting inflammation, growth of extra soft tissue, making a painful, swollen bump.

Sound familiar?

In the story of your foot health,you deserve a happy ending.

With Letsbuyhealthcare, skip long wait times and get fast access to trusted GPs who offer partial and total nail avulsion surgery. What are you waiting for? Book your appointment now.

What we offer:

Total (Full) Ingrown Toenail removal surgery - Complete removal of the affected nail to relieve severe or recurring cases. Explore treatment options

Partial Ingrown Toenail removal surgery - Removal of only the ingrown section, usually for moderate cases. Explore treatment options

Treatment of toenail bed infections - Expert care for infected nail beds to reduce pain, swelling, and the risk of complications. Explore treatment options