Ingrown toenails can be both painful and unattractive. In extreme cases, these toenails can also cause damage to the dermis and nerve endings in your toe. This is why many podiatrists will recommend the use of surgery to remove your ingrown toenails. If you have yet to explore this solution, taking the time to review the information below can help you to better understand what you can expect when undergoing this type of foot surgery.

What Is Involved In Removing An Ingrown Toenail Surgically?

There are two different procedures that may be used to surgically remove your ingrown toenails. The first of these procedures is to remove the entire toe nail all the way down to the nail plate. This procedure is most commonly used in relatively minor cases where the podiatrist believes the ingrown nail will not grow back if the nail is able to regenerate itself from scratch. In more severe cases, as well as cases where this first procedure has failed to be effective, podiatrists will use a chemical compound, known as phenol, to destroy the root of ingrown nail so that it cannot grow back in the future.

What Type Of Recovery Time Is Associated With Surgically Removing An Ingrown Nail?

While your foot may be a bit sore for a few days, you should be able to resume normal activities right away. In fact, when performed by a qualified podiatrist, this surgery will not even require the use of post-operative medications.

Are There Any Risks Associated With This Surgery?

There are risks associated with any type of surgical procedure; however, the risks associated with this particular procedure are quite minimal. The most notable risk is that your toe nail will not grow back after being removed. However, this result is occurs on a very rare basis. For most people, tenderness and swelling of the toe for a few days after surgery will be the only side effects they experience.

Is There Any Other Way To Deal With Ingrown Toenails?

It is possible to try and separate the ingrown nail from the skin using many home remedies. However, these remedies will typically be effective only in minor cases. Furthermore, if the ingrown nail becomes infected, using these treatment options will not be enough to eliminate the problem. This is why most podiatrists recommend the use of a surgical option.

To discuss all of your treatment options and to learn more about how surgery can eliminate your ingrown nails, be sure to schedule an appointment with your podiatrist as soon as possible. Visit http://durangopodiatrist.com/ for more information.