Ingrown Toenails

Looking for a doctor to help with your ingrown toenails foot condition in or around San Francisco, the Bay Area, or Sacramento? Novato Foot and Ankle Center can diagnose and treat your ingrown toenails condition.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail border is curved downward into the skin, causing irritation, inflammation and pain. If untreated, a local infection can occur causing redness, swelling and drainage. Ingrown toenails can occur from trauma such as stubbing the toe, trimming the nails improperly, wearing tight shoe gear, or can simply be inherited.

An untreated ingrown toenail may cause severe pain and discomfort, especially in tight shoes that apply pressure to the affected area. In early stages, warm water soaks with Epsom salt may help decrease the inflammation in the area. However, without removing the offending nail border, the condition will not resolve and may eventually lead to infection.

When seeking treatment with a foot and ankle specialist, there are several treatment options. Depending on the location of the ingrown nail, the nail may be trimmed back to remove the offending border. If necessary, the toe may be anesthetized and the border of the nail removed. If appropriate, a permanent removal may be performed which uses a chemical to discourage the border of the nail from growing back. Your podiatrist will determine the most appropriate treatment for the affected nail.

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