Ingrown toe nail–
Nail growing deep inside side skin of toes.
What causes ingrown toe nail?
Most common reason is improper nail cutting techniques leaving spike of nail at side part when it regrows it pushes into skin groove at side of nail.
Other causes include reasons which presses side nail for prolonged periods like using tight shoes, tight socks, stockings, trauma, etc,
What can happen with ingrown toe nail?
Ingrown toe nail can lead to pain at pressing part of nail at skin groove region.
If patients neglects pain it can lead to paronychia (infection at pressing part).
What are treatment options for ingrown toe nail?
Avoid tight shoes or socks or stockings, if still pain persists would require partial nail removal and nail matrixectomy.
Patients with paronychia should be treated with antibiotics in addition.
Is surgery permanent cure for ingrown toe nail?
Some surgeons do nail removal alone; hence many patients will have regrowth of ingrown toe nail and recurrence of pain and sometimes infection. Chemical or electrical nail matrixectomy with phenol or diathermy will prevent recurrence.
Can ingrown toe nail lead to amputation?
In patients with poor blood flow to foot (peripheral vascular occlusive disease), even ingrown toe nail if infected and blood flow to foot if non revascularisable can end up in below knee or above knee amputation.
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