Ingrown Toenails Treatment in Hyderabad

Why do people get ingrown toenails? Why do I keep getting ingrown toenails on my big toe?

The causes for ingrown toenails, also called as unguis incarnatus in medical terms, are listed. At Smart Surgeons we found that the first 2 are the most common reasons for ingrown toenails:

Poor or tight fitting shoes: Our big toe or thumb is the largest toe on our feet. Tight fitting shoes put pressure on the big toe nail and cause the nail to bend and grow inwards inside the skin. If this is coupled with sweat, which softens the skin, it is easier for the nail to grow inside.
Cutting the nail too short: When you cut the nail too short, it leaves sharp edges that can dig into surrounding skin and irritate it. Cutting the nail too short also causes the nail plate to bend and grow inside the nail fold. If this is accompanied with infection the condition can worse significantly.
Trauma: We all have experienced that painful stubbing of the toe while walking. Well, for some people this trauma can also cause ingrown toenail, as trauma can chip off a nail part and irritating the surrounding skin.
Infection & poor foot hygiene: nail infections can be accompanied or follow ingrown toenails. Infection can worsen the pain and inflammation.
Diabetes & underlying diseases: cause nerve damage and poor blood supply which may provide perfect environment for nail infections which in turn can lead to repeated ingrown toenail problems

If you keep getting ingrown toenails then you must check if any of the above conditions are true for you. You can also take free counseling to understand what could be the reason and potential solution for your ingrown toenail problem.

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What are the stages of ingrown toenails? What is Stage 1 ingrown toenail? What does a stage 3 ingrown toenail look like? Can an ingrown toenail go away on its own? How long until an ingrown toenail goes away?

Ingrown toenails have 3 stages:

Stage 1: mild redness with swelling and pain on pressing the area
Stage 2: local infection with discharge along with significant redness and pain
Stage 3: enlargement of the lateral nail fold (skin on the side of the nail), significant infection, redness and pain

Most people remain in stage 1 and the toenail can go away on its own in a week’s time. If there is infection additional medical treatment would be needed to treat the infection and you would need more than a week (10-15 days) to heal. In more severe cases where surgical intervention is needed the healing time can go up to 20-30 days. So if your ingrown toenail is troubling you for more than a week it is best to immediately contact our doctor, so that surgical intervention can be avoided.

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How do I stop my ingrown toenail? How do I stop my ingrown toenail from coming back? Can I prevent ingrown toenails?

Preventing the causes for ingrown toenails is the best way to prevent them from happening:

Do not cut your nails too short and leave some part above the nail bed. Cut the nail straight across and do not leave sharp edges
Maintain foot hygiene like washing your feet after you return home from outside. Change your socks regularly and wear clean cotton socks that can absorb moisture
Wear well fitting shoes that are not too tight or too loose

If despite following these precautions you are still getting ingrown toenails it is time to talk to our doctor.

How do I treat ingrown toenail at home? Can I fix my own ingrown toenail? Can an ingrown toenail self heal? Does Vaseline help ingrown toenails? How can I permanently fix an ingrown toenail at home?

Stage 1 or milder forms of ingrown toenails can be treated at home by taking adequate foot care as follows:

Take warm water in a bucket or tub, ensure the water is not too hot. Add 2-3 spoons of shampoo or body wash or any mild liquid soap to the water to create mild soapy water.
Soak your feet in this water for 10-20 minutes and gently clean your feet with your hand.
Place cotton under your nail, but this is not necessary.
Apply Vaseline on the tender / painful area and wrap it with gauze piece or clean cloth.
Repeat the above foot care 2-3 times a day if possible. You can fix your mild ingrowth on your own with this selfcare.

Ingrown toenail can heal itself with hygiene and proper foot care as mentioned above.

Check out the overview section on how to prevent toenails from recurring or getting worse - these preventive tips can help you permanently fix ingrown toenails at home.

How do doctors fix ingrown toenails? What are the treatment options for ingrown toenails? Can ingrown toenail be cured permanently? How do you permanently remove an ingrown toenail?

Wedge resection or removal of only the ingrown part of the nail: This a simple procedure in which the doctor will cut only the ingrown part of the nail plate, that is why it is called wedge resection (wedge shaped removal)
Total nail avulsion / removal: primarily is needed if the entire nail shape is irregular. It is necessary only in severe and recurrent cases. In most cases wedge resection is enough.
Matrixectomy: Performed in combination with wedge resection or total nail avulsion. This is used to remove the nail matrix, the area under the nail plate where the nail grows. This step might be needed only for severe and recurrent cases. You can also choose to do this step in case you are worried about recurrence.

With the above procedures, it is possible to cure ingrown toenails permanently, but proper foot care and hygiene are still important.

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Is it painful to remove ingrown toenail? Is ingrown toenail surgery painful? Can you walk after ingrown toenail removal?

No, it is not painful to remove toenails surgically, as it is a simple procedure done under local anesthesia.

You can walk after toenail surgery, in fact it is recommended that you walk to increase blood circulation in the area. For more details check our Aftercare section to see what care is needed post surgery.

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What is the success rate of ingrown toenail surgery? Is it worth removing ingrown toenail?

The success rate of toenail surgery is >90% with immediate pain relief and significant reduction in recurrence rate. Especially for patients experiencing recurrent ingrown toenails, the procedure can be a boon and a relieving experience.

You can discuss with our doctor whether you really need the surgery. Ultimately you have to decide whether the surgery is worth it for you. If our doctor feels that the surgery is unnecessary, she / he will be the first to tell you to not opt for the surgery.

What kind of doctor removes ingrown toenails? Do dermatologists remove ingrown toenails? Who is the best person to remove an ingrown toenail? Can a regular doctor fix ingrown toenail?

In India, the specialty that can offer you all treat options is a General Surgeon. While dermatologists and general physicians can prescribe antibiotics and give basic medical care, general surgeons can offer you all options to choose from.

At Smart Surgeons we have all treatment options and packages for toenails, which you can choose from after consultation with our surgeon.

How do I know if my ingrown toenail is serious? Do I have to do blood tests for ingrown toenails?

If you have severe pain and discomfort or finding it difficult to walk or discharge of pus, or accompanying fever you must consider your ingrown toenail condition serious. If you have any of these symptoms please contact Smart Surgeons immediately for the right guidance.

You generally do not require any tests for this condition. In case of recurrent infections, our doctor may request a lab test to check the infection causing agent - fungus or bacteria. The simplest and the cheapest test ordered more frequently is Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) Testing for seeing the fungus. But these are very rarely needed or prescribed.

What is the best thing to do after ingrown toenail removal? How long should I keep my toe covered after ingrown toenail removal? How long does it take for an ingrown toenail to heal after surgery? How long will my toe hurt after toenail removal?

Here are some important aftercare things you must do after toenail surgery:

Keep the area clean: use mild soap and water mixture to clean the area. If you see any debris or crusting remove it gently with a soft cloth
Follow the self care instructions of soaking your feet in warm water
Apply the antibiotic cream prescribed by our doctor and then dress the toe with clean gauze cloth. Use medical tape to secure the dressing
Look for any signs of infections such as redness, pain or discharge. If you find any of these symptoms immediately contact us
Take all your medications as prescribed by the doctor that would have painkillers and if needed, antibiotics
You should keep your toe covered or keep dressing it in the first week, both day & night.
After the first week you can keep the toenail open at night but dress it during the day.

The healing period depends on the stage and extent of the ingrown toenail and treatment choice.

After surgery, our doctor prescribes painkillers to reduce pain and swelling. You may experience pain in the first 48 hours, after which it typically subsides. We typically have the first follow-up at this time during which, if you have too much pain, our doctor can advise you accordingly.

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Is it OK to walk after ingrown toenail surgery?

Yes. In fact the doctors recommend walking after the surgery with the following precautions:

Avoid putting pressure on the affected toe for the first 24 hours
Avoid strenuous exercise for about a week after the surgery
Wear open toed comfortable footwear like chappals & sandals
Change your dressing once every 24 hours to protect the wound

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Can I shower after ingrown toenail surgery?

Yes, you can shower after the surgery. At Smart Surgeons we give you waterproof dressing that helps you keep the area dry. If the area gets wet, gently tap out excess moisture using a clean and soft tower or cloth.

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Can I wear shoes after ingrown toenail removal? Can I wear socks after toenail removal?

For 7-10 days after the procedure you should NOT wear socks or shoes. Wear open toed footwear like sandals and chappals.

After the wound has healed, after 7-10 days, you can wear comfortable shoes with or without the dressing. If you want to wear socks, use soft cotton socks and ensure you change the socks daily, without fail.

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Do ingrown toenails grow back once removed?

The success rate of toenail surgery is very high and a very low recurrence rate.

Wedge resection or total nail avulsion: has a recurrence risk of 10-12%
Matrixectomy: drastically reduces the recurrence risk to near zero, but it can also increase the time for the nail to regrow

Is it OK to go to a nail salon for an ingrown toenail?

No, it is not recommended to go to a salon for this issue. You could worsen your ingrown toenail by trying to solve this issue by a foot spa or pedicure. Foot spa and pedicure are not treatment options. In fact, these could worsen your conditions, as:

Salons do not have the medical knowledge of ingrown toenails or its anatomy
They do not have the right equipment and may damage the nail and surrounding tissue further
Since salons do not follow sterilization techniques they could spread the infection and you could risk other people to get that infection.

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Can I remove my own ingrown toenail? Should I cut my own ingrown nail? How do you cut an ingrown toenail at home?

No it is not recommended to remove ingrown toenails at home. Self treatment of ingrown toenails or trying to cut them by yourself can worsen the condition, causing infection which can lead to further complications.

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