Ingrown nails

Partial Nail Avulsion – For Ingrown nails

Ingrown toenails can occur due to improper trimming of the nail, tearing of the nail, overly curved nail, certain activities (such as running) or wearing constricting footwear.

Ingrowing toenails are a common problem and occur when the edge of the nail grows into the skin at the side of the nail, resulting in the area becoming swollen, painful and at times infected. Ingrown toenails can be classified into three stages:

If the images above look like your toe, then come in to see one of our podiatrists. During the consultation, the podiatrist will discuss the best treatment options for you. These treatment options range from a conservative approach to a partial nail avulsion surgery. 

A partial nail avulsion surgery is a relatively simple and effective procedure to treat ingrown toenails. The procedure is done in the podiatrist’s office under local anaesthetic and usually takes about an hour. Once your toe is numb, a small section of the nail edge is removed from the offending nail (see images below). Depending on the severity of the ingrown toenail, a chemical matrixectomy can be used to prevent the potion of the nail removed from growing back.