West Jordan Ingrown Toenails

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Toenails are relatively small, but they can cause a large amount of pain if they grow into the soft flesh surrounding the nail. This pain can be aggravated by everyday activities like walking or running. Worse, an ingrown toenail may become infected, leading to even more pain and inflammation. 

Symptoms of an ingrown toenail include pain and swelling around the nail, inflamed skin, and signs of infection such as pus. If you have these symptoms or any kind of toe pain, it’s important to see a foot and ankle specialist right away so the problem can be diagnosed and treated before it gets worse. This is essential for everyone, but especially concerning for people with diabetes, who are at higher risk of foot infections.

Who to See in West Jordan for an Ingrown Toenail?

Dr. Elizabeth Auger, DPM, has been treating ankle and foot difficulties for more than 24 years following extensive training and education. Dr. Auger belongs to the College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and is Board Certified in Podiatric Medicine by The American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery. She practices patient-centered, holistic medicine, and is also experienced in helping athletes with lower-extremity injuries, including toe conditions.

If you’re experiencing toe or foot pain, getting a diagnosis and treatment plan right away is necessary to prevent more serious issues. The friendly staff at Dr. Auger’s office are always happy to set up a consultation, and in many cases, same-day appointments are possible.

What Causes Ingrown Toenails?

There are several potential risk factors for developing ingrown toenails:

• Wearing shoes that are too tight or crowd the toenails. If your toes feel uncomfortable in your shoes, your toenails may be at increased risk. We recommend avoiding shoes that are too small or squeeze your toes together.
• Improperly trimming toenails. If you trim them too short or straight across, the nail is more likely to become ingrown. Keeping toenails at a moderate length is ideal.
• Injury to a toenail. For instance, some people injure a toenail by stubbing their toe on a piece of furniture or dropping an object on their foot. Any trauma to the toenail that causes it to break or split can add to your risk.
• Curved toenails. If the toenail curves over, it could easily grow into the soft flesh at the end of the toe.
• Nail infections. These cause their own swelling and inflammation, which can make an ingrown nail more likely.
• Some medical conditions, such as diabetes and other issues with circulation, also contribute to increased risk.
• Reduced ability to care for toenails. Often this is due to mobility issues – for instance, if you have a bad back and can’t bend over to trim your nails, it may be hard to take care of your feet.
• Excessive perspiration. The extra perspiration softens skin and nails, making an ingrown nail more likely. Teenagers frequently perspire more, but some people also have increased perspiration throughout their lives due to genetics.
• Certain athletics that put a lot of strain on the toes may also contribute to risk, such as running or playing a sport that involves kicking.
• Foot anatomy. Sometimes the foot is simply shaped in a way that encourages ingrown nails – for instance, sometimes the nail is bigger relative to the toe or the nail border tissue pushes on the toenail.

What Treatments Are Available in West Jordan for Ingrown Toenails?

First, the podiatrist will examine your foot and ask questions about your symptoms and when they started. Toe pain is common and may be caused by other conditions, so your foot specialist will want to be sure about the diagnosis. Usually, a physical examination is all that’s needed, but in a few cases, the doctor might want to order tests or X-rays to rule out other conditions that could co–occur with an ingrown nail. If the toe shows signs of serious infection around the nail, the podiatrist may want to take a culture or an X-ray to learn more about the infection or if it has spread.

There are several treatment options for ingrown toenails, and the doctor will recommend a course of treatment based on your medical history and the severity of your ingrown toenail. Here are some common treatments:

• Lifting the nail. For mild cases, your podiatrist might lift the nail up and off the nearby flesh, then place a material like cotton or dental floss underneath the nail to keep it above the tissue. Back at home, the patient must soak the toe and replace the material daily until the toenail growth is corrected. Alternatively, sometimes the doctor may use a waterproof, permanent material instead. They may also prescribe a steroid cream to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Taping the nail. This is a similar procedure, but instead of pulling the nail away from the skin, the doctor pulls the skin away from the nail and tapes it in place, creating a barrier.
• Putting a gutter splint under the toenail. For this procedure, the podiatrist will numb the toe with a local anesthetic, then slide a small slit tube under the nail. It remains there until the nail grows significantly above the skin. This method is often helpful for patients who are in a lot of pain from their ingrown nails, as it helps reduce inflammation and irritation fairly quickly.
• Partial nail removal (recommended partial matrixectomy). In more advanced cases, where there is substantial skin inflammation, pain, or signs of infection like pus, your foot specialist may recommend removing part of the nail permanently. As with the splinting procedure, your toe will be numb for the partial removal, and the corner of the nail is not expected to grow back.
• Removing part of the nail plus tissue. Sometimes this is recommended in situations where the patient has had repeated ingrown nail issues on the same toe. After numbing the toe, the doctor will remove the problematic part of the nail, and some of the tissue underneath it, preventing this nail area from growing back.

After any of these procedures, your podiatrist will instruct you on caring for the toe. Depending on the situation, they may prescribe antibiotics or other medication to apply or give you directions about cleaning. The doctor may also schedule follow-up appointments, especially if you have diabetes or there is another reason to be concerned about infection or difficulties with healing after the procedure.

Can I Just Cut the Ingrown Nail Myself?

No, this is not a good solution. Unfortunately, many people who try to trim an ingrown nail on their own actually make the problem worse or increase the risk of infection. If your nail is inflamed and you suspect it’s ingrown, please seek professional help from a podiatrist.

Can You Prevent Ingrown Toenails from Recurring?

After implementing a treatment plan, your podiatrist in West Jordan may recommend lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of recurrence. Here are some suggestions the foot specialist might have based on your particular circumstances:

• If the doctor suspects your shoes contributed to the ingrown nail, they might recommend choosing a pair that fits better and gives your toes more space. 
• If the toe was injured by an accident at work – such as something heavy hitting your foot at a job site – the doctor might suggest steel-toed boots to protect your toes from future injuries.
• Runners or athletes may also benefit from a new pair of shoes for their sport. Remember that your foot slides forward when you run, so when trying on shoes you should leave about half an inch of space between your toes and the end of the shoe. Another good metric is that you should be able to comfortably wiggle all your toes – even the smallest one – while wearing the shoes. For some people, going up half a shoe size from what they normally wear is useful.
• When foot perspiration is a problem, the podiatrist might propose wearing breathable shoes such as sandals to help keep your feet dry. If this isn’t an option at work, you might consider going barefoot or wearing breathable shoes at home. When you do have to wear closed-toe shoes, make sure they allow plenty of room for your toes, and consider buying socks that wick away moisture to keep your feet dry.
• If mobility issues make it difficult to trim your own toenails, the doctor will probably suggest asking a loved one to trim them or going to a professional for regular pedicures.
• If you trim your nails but are cutting them too short or straight across, the foot specialist will likely advise you on improving your technique to keep your nails healthier.

How Can You Get Treatment for Your Ingrown Toenail in West Jordan?

When you have toe or foot pain or suspect an ingrown nail, please contact the office of Dr. Elizabeth E. Auger, DPM, for a consultation. We’ll schedule you for an appointment as soon as possible – in many cases, we can fit you in on the same day. Dr. Auger will carefully examine your foot and diagnose the problem, then recommend a treatment plan tailored to your needs.