Are you concerned about getting another ingrown toenail? At Blue Ridge Foot Centers in Asheville, NC, your board-certified podiatrist can help you prevent another episode of this common foot problem. Dr. Daniel Waldman helps many patients just like you have healthy nails and well-functioning feet.
A deformed toenail
How does an ingrown toenail happen? Onychocryptosis, as podiatrists call it, happens when the corner of a toenail grows into the surrounding skin. Usually, the big toenail is involved, says Healthline, and pain, tenderness, redness, and infection may result.
Factors contributing to an ingrown toenail include:
- Incorrect nail trimming
- Wearing shoes which are too snug in the toe box
- Inherited foot structure
- Wearing sweaty, poorly-fitting socks
- Trauma to the toe
- Repeated pressure to the toe through sports (kicking a ball, dancing)
Treatment typically involves soaking the foot at home and the use of pain medication as needed. However, when symptoms continue or worsen, you should see your podiatrist in his Asheville, NC, office for an eyes-on exam.
Dr. Waldman may recommend partial nail removal, an in-office procedure performed with a local anesthetic. The National Health Service says this surgery works 98 percent of the time.
Preventing ingrown toenails
These are the steps you can take to avoid, or lessen the severity of, onychomycosis:
1. Trim your toenails straight across with a sharp, clean pedicure tool. Do not round the corners.
2. Wear shoes that are roomy and well-fitting, placing no pressure on the big toes.
3. Washing and drying your feet daily to avoid fungal infections, such as Athlete's foot.
4. Changing your socks daily, or whenever they are sweaty or wet.
5. Wear safety shoes at work (with steel toes to protect against trauma).
6. See your podiatrist right away at the first sign of redness or pain.
Contact Blue Ridge Foot Centers
Dr. Daniel Waldman can help you with a variety of foot health problems, including ingrown toenails. He is nationally and internationally known for his advanced surgical methods, including the latest in minimal incisions.
Call our Asheville, NC, office for an appointment with this outstanding podiatrist: (828) 254-5371. Or, contact us through our website: www.blueridgefoot.com.