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by Michael L. Hauser, Foot Specialist
An ingrown toenail occurs when one or both toenail borders embed themselves in the soft tissues surrounding the nail. The most common nail involved is the big toe. Injury,
ill-fitting shoes, heredity, and improper cutting can all be the culprit in initiating an ingrown toenail.
In addition to the pain associated with this problem, infections are also of concern to the patient and doctor. This becomes increasingly important as the age of the patient
increases and circulation decreases. Those of you who have poor circulation, especially diabetics, should seek treatment from your podiatrist immediately.
Treatment is relatively simple if circulation of the blood to the feet is normal. The toes is put to sleep using a Novocain-like substance and the offending nail border is
then removed. A chemical is put into the root which most often kills the nail root, stopping that portion of the nail from growing out again. Since there is usually little
pain after the procedure, aspirin is all that is needed for patients to ease any discomfort that follows. This treatment is 90 percent effective with a 10 percent chance of
re-growth.
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