Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown nails may develop for many reasons. Some cases are congenital—the nail is just too large for the toe. Trauma, such as stubbing the toe or having the toe stepped on, may also cause an ingrown nail. However, the most common cause is tight shoe wear or improper trimming of the nail. If excessive inflammation, swelling, pain and discharge are present, the toenail is probably infected and should be treated by a physician. If you are in a lot of pain and/or the infection keeps coming back, your doctor may remove part of your ingrown toenail (partial nail avulsion). With this procedure your toe is numbed with an anesthetic, and your doctor uses a special instrument to trim away the ingrown part of the toenail, taking care not to disturb the nail bed.
Special medications can be applied to the base of the nail to keep the curved portion from re-growing. The procedure is performed in the office and only takes about 20 minutes. The patient is often able to return to work or school the same day. Please contact Arkansas Foot & Ankle Specialists for more information about ingrown nail treatment options. Dr. Teufel is an expert trained Podiatrist that can provide you with the best treatment options available.