Stop Ingrown Toenail Pain for Good

What Causes Ingrown Toenails?

An ingrown toenail occurs when the sharp corner of your toenail grows into the soft skin of the toe. The most common causes are:

• Improper Trimming: Cutting your toenails too short or rounding the corners is the number one cause. Nails should be cut straight across.
• Tight Footwear: Shoes that crowd your toes can push the nail into the skin.
• Genetics: Some people have naturally curved nails that make them more prone to the condition.
• Injury: Stubbing your toe or dropping something on it can lead to an ingrown nail.

Treatment Options: From Conservative to Curative

The right treatment depends on the severity.

1. Conservative Care (Early Stage): If caught early, we can sometimes lift the nail and place a small splint to guide it to grow correctly.
2. Surgical Removal (Permanent Solution): For painful, infected, or recurring ingrown nails, the best solution is a minor in-office surgical procedure.

The Permanent Ingrown Toenail Procedure

This quick procedure is done under local anesthesia, so it's completely painless.

• Numbing: The toe is numbed with a small injection.
• Removal: The specialist removes only the small, offending piece of nail digging into your skin.
• Permanent Fix (Matrixectomy): For recurring cases, a chemical is applied to the nail root in that corner to prevent that sliver of nail from ever growing back.

The relief is immediate, and you can walk out of the clinic right after. Learn more on our Ingrown Toenail Surgery page.