An ingrown toenail causes severe pain at the slightest pressure, it interferes with an active life and can lead to chronic inflammation of the surrounding tissues, as well as to deformation of the nail & nbsp; plates. The problem of an ingrown toenail is relevant for those who prefer to wear tight shoes or neglect proper regular nail care. Treatment of advanced ingrown toenails is very difficult, and sometimes the inflammation can be irreversible and affect the toe bone. The doctor's task in this case – try to prevent the chronic process and alleviate the suffering of the patient.
Ingrown toenail: symptoms and stages of ingrowth
An ingrown toenail can appear not only because of improperly selected shoes. But even after incorrect pedicure, fungal infection, flat feet, frequent injury to the nail. Ingrowing of the nail plate into the nail fold most often occurs on the big toes, on one or both sides – but usually with an external one.
Initially, this is expressed by a feeling of pain and pressure in the nail fold, then swelling and redness develops. At the second stage of the disease, an infection may join, since the ingrown edge of the nail is perceived by the skin as a foreign body, which causes inflammation, and pus may be released from the ingrown site.
At the third stage, acute inflammation of the nail fold becomes chronic. An ingrown nail causes the growth of granulation tissue around itself, which gradually thickens, and with it the nail phalanx is deformed. For diabetic patients, an ingrown toenail is especially dangerous, since even at the first stage, its inflammation can turn into gangrene of the foot.
Nail Treatment: Ingrown Toenail Therapy
An ingrown toenail can be treated conservatively or surgically. At the very beginning of the disease, the prevention of the development of the inflammatory process can be a change in shoes for a freer and more thorough foot hygiene using disinfectant baths.
Among the conservative methods, the use of special corrective systems – flexible and elastic plates made of metal or plastic. Such a plate is attached to an ingrown nail and, due to its elasticity, lifts its ingrown areas, bringing immediate relief to the patient.
In more severe cases, where the ingrown toenail is accompanied by severe deformity, surgical treatment of the nails is preferred, usually performed with a radio wave scalpel or laser. The essence of the operation is to remove part of the nail matrix in order to stop its further ingrowth. If there is a long-standing chronic inflammation in the area of the ingrown nail and granulation tissue has developed, which led to the deformation of the nail phalanx, then an additional correction is performed. The operation ends with the treatment of the nail bed, cauterization of blood vessels and the application of a tight bandage to the operated finger.
Nail treatment is easily tolerated by patients, the operation is short and is performed under local anesthesia. The patient can immediately be released home with recommendations for & nbsp; postoperative care and permission to return to normal life after 3 days. If necessary, analgesics are prescribed. The patient should be aware that with any method of nail treatment, there is a possibility of recurrence of the ingrown nail.
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