Ingrown Toe Nail Surgery

 

Ingrown Toe Nail Surgery may be appropriate when an ingrown or problematic nail cannot be corrected with conservative management. This minor procedure can be performed in the clinic under local anesthetic and the patient can walk in and out on the same day.

Nail surgery is usually a partial nail avulsion with chemical matrixectomy which means removing the problematic part of the nail and applying a chemical to prevent the problematic nail from growing back. Sometimes a total nail avulsion can be performed, which means removing the whole nail in severe cases.

You may not be a suitable candidate for this procedure if you have certain medical conditions, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have allergies to the local anesthetic. If appropriate an alternative is Pedisafe Nail Bracing which can be performed in the clinic.

You can book an appointment with a podiatrist at Bondi Podiatry to find out more information about the procedure to see if it is right for you.

What are ingrown toenails?

An ingrown toenail can be a painful condition where the side of the nail irritates the surrounding skin. This may cause redness, and swelling, and in some cases can pierce the skin resulting in infection. It more commonly affects the big toenail, but can also affect one side or both sides of the nails. Extra skin can be present on the affected side of the toe due to irritation and infection of the skin. If you don’t get it treated then the surrounding skin can get infected and the infection could spread.

What causes ingrown toenails?

  • Cutting down the side of the nail and leaving behind a piece of nail. To avoid this make sure you cut your nails straight across.

  • Wearing shoes that are too narrow, tight, or small

  • Excessive sweating

  • Poor foot hygiene

  • Damage to the toenails

    Treatment for ingrown toenails: If you think you have an ingrown toenail you should see your podiatrist as soon as possible.

    The podiatrist can:

  • Remove the portion of nail that is causing pain to provide relief and prevent infection

  • Consider conservative management such as nail bracing if suitable

  • Determine the cause of the ingrown toenail (such as tight shoes or infection) and give you advice on what to do.

  • Permanently remove part or whole of the nail so you don’t get another ingrown toenail.

Book an appointment with our experienced podiatrist in Bondi Junction

We treat feet from all over Sydney, particularly the Eastern Suburbs. As podiatrists in Bondi Junction, we are happy to treat anyone that comes to our Sydney clinic. Our local area includes Bondi Junction, Bondi, Bondi Beach, North Bondi, Rose Bay, Tamarama, Coogee, Randwick, Bellevue Hill, Dover Heights, Vaucluse, and Edgecliff.