An ingrown toenail causes throbbing toe pain severe enough to cause you to limp. If it gets infected, the toe swells so that you can’t even wear your shoes. Don’t wait until you need infected ingrown toenail surgery. As soon as you notice an ingrown toenail, visit the top-rated podiatry doctor, Dr. Velimir Petkov at Premier Podiatry in Clifton. Call today for an appointment.
Your toenails provide some protection for your toes, but they’re really an evolutionary holdover. The edges of your nails rest in a groove on top of your toes. If functioning normally, the nails grow steadily outward as new nail material forms in the nail bed. If your nail suffers damage, it may start curling or growing downward, digging into the soft flesh of your toes.
Ingrown toenails can be painful. If they’re bad enough, they can affect your gait and require medical attention. If left untreated, ingrown toenails can result in continued pain, inflammation and infection that requires ingrown toenail surgery. Visit award-winning practice in Clifton, New Jersey to discuss treatment options and prevention tips with your board-certified surgeon, Dr. Velimir Petkov.
An ingrown toenail may arise for a number of reasons, but the two most common involve:
If your shoes are too tight, they compress the nail, preventing it from resting comfortably in its groove. If your nails are torn or peeling, the skin next to the nail becomes irritated and inflamed, which alters the groove. Other causes include heredity or repeated trauma to your toes and feet. Talk to your podiatrist about the proper way to trim toenails once you’ve undergone treatment.
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When you visit Dr. Petkov for an evaluation, he examines your ingrown toenail and asks whether you’ve had other problems with your toes, such as toenail fungus. To recommend the best treatment option, he also asks about your shoes, exercise routines and foot-grooming habits. Symptoms of ingrown toenails to watch for include:
Tell your New Jersey podiatrist If you have or are being treated for a medical condition — such as diabetes, vascular conditions or Raynaud’s phenomenon. These conditions can cause a reduction or loss of feeling in your feet. Your podiatrist needs to know before performing any treatment to deal with an ingrown toenail.
Unless you’re experiencing a severe deformity or infection, your treatment begins conservatively, moving to more invasive procedures if you don’t show any improvement. Depending on your level of discomfort and your overall medical health, Dr. Petkov may recommend:
Before surgery, you must have any other issues treated. If you have toenail fungus, for example, you may need to undergo and recover from a laser treatment. Once you’re ready for outpatient toenail surgery, you still have some options, including:
Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Ingrown Toenail Removal
Unless your entire nail has been removed, toenail surgery results in a healthier, thinner, permanent nail with a corrected nail edge. After the procedure, Dr. Petkov bandages your toe and provides recovery instructions. You can expect to be fully healed within a few weeks. Recovery instructions include:
While painful and frustrating, ingrown toenails don’t have to keep you from exercise or activities. Proper care and treatment keep you pain and infection-free. Contact Premier Podiatry in Passaic County, NJ for the best care and treatment for your toes and feet.
Premier Podiatry: Velimir Petkov, DPM
925 Clifton Ave, Ste 107
Clifton, NJ 07013
☎ (973) 315-5555