Ingrown Toenail Specialist
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A Step Up Podiatry, LLC
Ankle and Foot Surgeon located in Manalapan, NJ
An ingrown toenail can cause serious swelling, major pain, and might even make it impossible to wear your shoes comfortably. But, A Step Up Podiatry, LLC in Manalapan Township, New Jersey has the ingrown toenail treatments that can relieve your pain and prevent the toenail from growing beneath your skin again. Sanjay Gandhi, DPM, the founder and podiatrist at A Step Up Podiatry, LLC, is ready to help you beat ingrown toenails for good. Instead of limping around and wearing flip-flops every day, call the office, or use the online appointment maker for help now.
Ingrown Toenail Q & A
What is an ingrown toenail?
An ingrown toenail is a nail, usually on your big toe, that grows into the skin around the toe. It’s common to experience swelling, pain, and other serious problems with an ingrown toenail, so it’s important to treat it as soon as possible.
What are the signs of an ingrown toenail?
The signs of an ingrown toenail can include red skin where the nail punctures your skin, swelling, and toe pain. The skin puncture leaves a path for microbial organisms to get into your toe and trigger infection. If your ingrown toenail becomes infected, you might experience pus and fluid drainage and/or a foul odor.
How are ingrown toenails treated?
You can do a few things at home if you develop a mildly ingrown toenail, including:
- Soak your foot in warm water for 15- to 20-minute intervals
- Change your footwear, avoiding any pressure on the affected toe
- Apply antibiotic ointment and cover your toe with a bandage
If the measures above don't help, reach out to A Step Up Podiatry, LLC to get professional treatment. Never try to cut an ingrown toenail out of your skin at home, as it's likely to cause infection and possibly toe trauma.
At A Step Up Podiatry, LLC, Dr. Gandhi treats ingrown toenails according to the situation. For a mildly ingrown nail, Dr. Gandhi may perform a nail lift in which he gently separates your nail from the skin above it and helps it stay above the skin.
Sometimes you might need partial or complete nail removal for a moderately or severely ingrown toenail. With a partial nail removal (partial nail avulsion), Dr. Gandhi typically removes only the embedded corner of the nail, and your nail shape is unaffected.
If you have a recurring ingrown toenail in the same nail, Dr. Gandhi may recommend total nail removal. He performs this minor surgery on-site with local anesthesia.
What happens to an untreated ingrown toenail?
Ingrown toenails respond well to treatment, but it’s important to get help as soon as possible. Untreated ingrown toenails are prone to infections, which could spread, potentially even affecting the bones of your toe. Ultimately, this could lead to amputation.
Lack of proper circulation can greatly increase the risk of ingrown toenail complications. Diabetes sufferers, or anyone who experiences circulatory problems, should be especially careful about looking after ingrown toenails.
Use the online appointment maker, or call A Step Up Podiatry, LLC to get caring podiatry care from the best specialist around.
