Ingrown toenails can occur for many different reasons, and there are various things that you can do on your own to prevent the issues associated with ingrown toenails. However, Abbott Foot & Ankle Clinic is here to help if your ingrown toenails are recurring too frequently for you to manage or tolerate or you are getting persistent infections and simply need to get down to the root of the problem.
What causes ingrown toenails? Simply stated, ingrown toenails occur when the skin next to the toenails becomes irritated by the nail of the toe. This can happen because of neglected toenails, improperly trimmed toenails, a poor choice of footwear and socks that are too close fitting around the edge of the toe, and even heredity. When the flesh becomes irritated, such as by trimming the toenail too short or rounded too close to the nail bed, the toenail can actually begin to grow back into the flesh of the toe instead. This can also happen, especially for the big toes, when footwear presses the nail into the toe.
If you are having issues with infected skin around the toe (evidenced by pus, redness, and pain when touched), then Abbot Foot & Ankle Clinic is prepared to help you take care of the problem. You may also decide that you need a long-term solution if you are getting repeated ingrown toenails or if you have other health conditions that contribute to making ingrown toenails a more serious health issue. We are able to inject anesthetic locally and remove the ingrown part of the toenail to get you back on your feet in no time.