Ingrown toenails

The Oving clinic offers a one-stop treatment service for the treatment of painful ingrowing toenails or the removal of problematic misshapen nails (called nail dystrophy). Ingrowing toe nails can be very painful and can limit your activity. With an outpatient procedure under local anaesthetic we can help stop the pain from your nails. One-stop treatment involves a single visit to the clinic with diagnosis and treatment on the same day and a fixed price for treatment.

Mr Edward J.C. Dawe is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in all disorders of the foot and ankle including nail and toe conditions.

What Are Ingrown Toenails?

This particular condition is endemic to the big toe and often happens when the nail edge rests firmly on the skin, leading to it breaking under the pressure of the nail pressing down. As a result, you may experience sharp bouts of pain as you press down on your toe, and, if left untreated, this can flare up into a serious infection.

Ingrown toenail (Onychocryptosis) occurs when the nail edge breaks into the skin, resulting in inflammation and, if left untreated, infection, like cellulitis. It is easily treatable and can be treated with home remedies, traditional medications, and surgery, if warranted.

One of the first signs of an ingrown toenail is the inflammation around the affected area, and you can resort to any of the following methods to help you deal with this particular health condition. Usually, sports people are more susceptible to this condition, as it can also be caused by injury to the toe and the base of the nail. They are often caused by improperly-trimmed nails, as well as dropping heavy objects on top of the nail, which can lead to cellulitis and infection, if left untreated.

Risk Factors for Ingrown Toenails

An ingrown toenail starts out as a minor cause of discomfort but it gradually progresses and tends to become worse. It can also lead to infection in the skin which can be then difficult to treat. If there is an occurrence of infection then it can show certain signs such as the area around the nail becomes red and looks swollen, it can lead to formation of pus which could drain out leading to a watery discharged with certain traces of blood. This is often a recurring problem which has a number of risk factors which then increases the chances of getting an ingrown toenail:

• Nail not being trimmed properly
• Some form of trauma to the feet
• Wearing improper shoes which can be either too short or too long
• Improper foot hygiene
• Toes which look unusually large
• Curved unusual toenails
• Causing certain kind of pressure to the feet
• Formation of bunions which are toe or foot deformities.
• Being part of sports which require a lot of starts and stops such as soccer or tennis

What are the Treatments for Ingrown Toenails?

• Hot water soak: Soaking your feet In a tub of hot water for fifteen minutes should help relieve some of the painful symptoms of ingrown toenail. Repeat the procedure two to three times a day, or as often as required.
• Lifting the offending nail: You can alternatively use a small piece of fabric, wet it, and wedge it under the offending nail to  prevent it from pressing down on the affected area. That should provide you with some relief from the pain as well.

Consult Edward Dawe if the pain and stress of the ingrown toenail have not resolved in a few days. He will want to examine the toe to determine the extent of the infection and may recommend one of the following methods to properly treat the ingrown toenail:

• Cleaning the nail: Your surgeon may apply a localized anaesthetic, lift the nail, and clean the area thoroughly, and even place a small splint under the offending nail to prevent it from pressing down on the skin and the wound. You will be required to repeat the process on your own, after a water soak, and it should soon heal.
• Partially removing the nail: Here, again, your surgeon would apply a local anaesthetic to limit the pain and your distress and trim part of the offending nail. This procedure is usually opted for when there is formation of pus, which is indicative of an infection.
• Removing the nail matrix: Here, your surgeon would apply an even stronger local anaesthetic and require you to undergo minor surgery. The procedure is a fairly short one and consists of removing the nail and nail bed, and this should prevent the problem from occurring again since the nail matrix is removed, preventing the nail from growing back.
• Cost £600 inclusive for one stop shop