Ingrown Toenail Specialist

West Suburban Podiatry

Podiatric Physicians and Surgeons located in Western Springs, IL

An ingrown toenail can quickly become so painful that it’s difficult to wear shoes comfortably — and it could even be hard to walk if you don’t get help. Luckily, there’s a podiatric care expert waiting to help at West Suburban Podiatry in Western Springs, Illinois. The team offers quick and effective ingrown toenail treatments, so don’t hesitate to call the office or book an appointment online today.

708-352-5652

Ingrown Toenail Q & A

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail is a nail that’s grown into the skin around the toe. Usually, ingrown toenails happen on your big toes.

Ingrown toenails are one of the most common foot issues for people today, and if untreated, it can cause infection, severe pain, and even toe loss.

How can I tell if a toenail is ingrown?

An ingrown toenail often causes the following symptoms:

Sore or painful skin around the nail
Swelling around the toe
Redness at the nail edge

If your ingrown toenail gets infected, symptoms can grow even worse. You could develop pus or blood leakage where the nail bites into your skin.

Ingrown toenails are a particularly serious risk if you have diabetes, since you may not have good circulation to help you heal. To avoid complications, check your feet for ingrown toenails and other diabetic foot problems every day.

An untreated ingrown toenail can potentially cause some very serious complications, including bone infection or gangrene (tissue death). If you suspect that you have an ingrown toenail, it’s best to make an appointment at West Suburban Podiatry as soon as possible.

What is the treatment for ingrown toenails?

Your provider at West Suburban Podiatry can perform a minor in-office surgery to remove the part of the nail that’s causing problems. They gently numb your toe and then carefully remove the corner of the nail so your skin can heal.

Most patients can wear a shoe over the affected toe almost immediately, and there’s no significant downtime, either.

If the same toenail keeps growing back, your provider can apply a special chemical to your nail root. The chemical permanently deters nail regrowth.

How can I avoid ingrown toenails?

By adjusting your foot care routine, you can often avoid the pain and irritation associated with ingrown toenails in the future. Some helpful changes can include:

Trim your toenails straight across, never curved
Wear shoes with adequate toe space
Maintain short toenails (to the tips of your toes)

The West Suburban Podiatry team may recommend additional foot care recommendations to help you avoid ingrown toenails in the future.

For permanent ingrown toenail solutions, book an appointment at West Suburban Podiatry online or over the phone today.

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