What is Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal?

Painful ingrown toenails are among the three most common conditions that I treat in my Baton Rouge Podiatry practice. They are painful and can be acute onset or chronic and long-standing. An ingrown toenail is when one or more borders of the nail plate become curled into the corner of the toe itself. This can be the result of improper trimming of the nail, certain activities, or poor shoe fit. Sometimes a cause is not immediately obvious. Many people suffering from painful ingrown toenails can get temporary relief with clipping the corner of the nail, applying a topical ointment or soaking the foot in Epsom salt. When an ingrown toenail fails to improve with home remedies or becomes infected, then Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal is often indicated.

Is Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal a Big Deal?

I am asked this question five or more times a day everyday, and the answer is no. This is a simple procedure that I perform daily in the office on the same day as the initial appointment, if desired.

How Painful is Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal?

I perform Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal procedures five to eight times a day nearly every day of the week. Most patients have very little pain following the procedure. It’s usually sore for two or three days. Most patients return to school or work the following day.

How is Permanent Ingrown Toenail Removal Performed?

First the painful toe is numbed with what’s referred to as a Digital Block. This is the local infiltration of a small amount of anesthetic to numb the toe. This involves two needle sticks which are a little uncomfortable. After this, I wait 10 to 15 minutes for the toe to become completely numb. Once the toe is numb, I use a specialized clipper to cut and remove the ingrown portion of nail. I always leave as much normal nail as possible. The permanent portion of the procedure is when I apply a dilute chemical called Phenol to the nail bed. This helps cauterize the nail bed and prevents recurrence. Although this is referred to as permanent, they do recur occasionally. The application of Phenol in addition to clipping the nail reduces the recurrence rate from 65% to around 5 to 8%. The aftercare is usually minimal.

If you have been putting up with painful ingrown toenails for far too long, please call.