Do podiatrists do ingrown toenails? Yes, and they can help with treatment and prevention advice when DIY methods don’t work.
Have you ever had an ingrown toenail? If not, consider yourself lucky. This is a painful (although very common) condition that results in one or more of the toenails digging into the skin around the toe. It causes irritation, swelling, and redness. In some cases, an ingrown toenail can cause extreme discomfort and pain. Today, your Spring Hill, TN, podiatrist shares insight into the causes, symptoms, and treatment of ingrown toenails.
What causes ingrown toenails?
People experience ingrown toenails for many different reasons. Sometimes, it’s simply the effect of a minor hereditary deformity that causes the nails to grow down instead of out. However, many podiatrists in Spring Hill usually see ingrown toenails after the nails have been trimmed improperly or when a patient routinely wears poorly-fitted shoes. Ingrown toenails can also be caused by trauma due to an accident or normal activities.
Symptoms
Ingrown toenails are uncomfortable and they may result in pain, redness, and swelling on one or both sides of the affected digit. In extreme cases, a podiatrist will need to treat an ingrown toenail for drainage and a co-occurring condition known as proud flesh, which is skin being pushed to the point of bulging.
Went to see a podiatrist
You don’t have to call to ask “do podiatrists do ingrown toenails?” The answer is yes. As a foot and ankle specialist, your Spring Hill podiatrist handles ingrown toenails almost every day. While ingrown toenails can often be treated with DIY methods (more on that in a moment) it’s time to visit your podiatrist if you’ve tried and failed to reduce swelling and pain. Further, if you have circulatory issues or diabetes, an ingrown toenail requires immediate treatment. This is to prevent further complications down the road.
What are some DIY treatments for an ingrown toenail?
Your podiatrist may send you home with instructions of soaking your foot in warm salt water. You can also apply an antiseptic ointment to reduce bacteria and, hopefully, prevent infection. DIY treatments to avoid include trimming the nail and applying anything other than an antiseptic without first consulting your podiatrist.
How can you prevent ingrown toenails?
Unfortunately, ingrown toenails can’t always be prevented. However, learning proper tow care hygiene, which includes keeping the toes clean and trimming nails straight across, can reduce the number of occurrences. Further, you can avoid wearing tightly-fitted shoes. If your ingrown toenails are hereditary and chronic, talk to your podiatrist about possible in-office treatments, which might include removing a portion of the embedded mail or surgical methods that can permanently prevent this type of growth.
If you are experiencing the pain of an ingrown toenail, remember that you don’t have to live with it. A quick call to your podiatrist may be all it takes for relief. Dr. Danielle Malin is a nail disorder specialist that can help you tackle everything from ingrown toenails to foot fungus so that you can set your feet free for the world to see.
Dr. Danielle Malin of Premier Foot & Ankle Care in Columbia, TN, specializes in treating foot and ankle pain, Achilles tendinitis, warts, nail disorders, hammertoe, bunions, and more. She is a skilled foot and ankle surgeon who offers personalized patient care through her full-service office. Dr. Malin is unique among local podiatric specialists in that she makes house calls so that she can best care for her diverse patient base. Premier Foot & Ankle care treats both adult and pediatric patients. A staff physician at Maury regional, Dr. Malin is board certified by the American Board of Foot & Ankle Surgery.
