Ingrown toenails

[Jack Sprat]

Both big toes have severely arced nails that chronically give pain and discomfort. Can podiatrists offer some permanent remedy? Does anyone have experience with this malady?

[Cheap_Trick]

1. I feel for you.

I suffered through ingrown toenails on both big toes for a lot of my youth. Family doctor would dig them out (VERY painful)only to have them grow right back. Finally had another doctor treat them. He cut off the flesh on the outer half of the toes, dug that half of the nail out down to the root, and the sewed the flesh back on. That was 1979....they probably have better ways of dealing with them now.

[Jack Sprat]

4. That sounds like a tough treatment.

Glad it worked for you. I sure hope there is something better now.

[CTyankee]

2. Get thee to the podiatrists office!

Mine was fixed using local anasthesia and it hasn't returned. However, the nail did break and, while it did not come off, I had the foot doc snip the nail down where the break occurred without disturbing the rest of the nail. Finally, that portion of the nail grew back and I have a normal looking big toenail on my left foot.

I was pleased with my foot care. And it's better than nothing, really.

[Jack Sprat]

3. I will go to a podiatrist finally upon your advice

I'm just tired of dealing with these things constantly. I have tried trimming them correctly..straight across like I have read, but it doesn't help. They arc inward all the same. Thanks.

[CTyankee]

6. My doc said trimming toes the wrong way doesn't necessarily cause ingrown toenails, much

to my surprise, because we've always been told the opposite.

I had hesitated about going to the podiatrist. I thought it was at last proof that I was and old person, for sure,cuz old people are always having to go to the podiatrist (makes sense, you've been on your feet for longer!). But that was a really stupid reason not to get medical attention. I had good health insurance coverage...dumb of me...

Let me know how it comes out! Hope you get clear of this painful problem for good!

[Blues Heron]

5. I have them on both big toes

What I've found works is letting them grow long- the edges then seem to ride up over the front edge of the toe and not dig in so much.

[ncteechur]

7. they use acid to kill the root in the side parts of the nailbed and that prevents them from growing

back. I had it done in the 80s and haven't had trouble since

[NickB79]

11. That's what I had done when I was 12

A shot of Novocaine, and 10 min. later my toe was fine. That was 15 years ago, and it never came back.

[nickinSTL]

8. definitely see a podiatrist

I had terrible ingrown toenail problems on one toe throughout high school and college.

Finally, in my early 20s, I saw a doc about it. First, I was sent to a surgeon, which did nothing useful.

I went to a podiatrist, and he removed the edge of the nail, had me come back some weeks later, and then removed the bit that had grown back and put some chemical at the root to prevent it from returning.

I haven't had any problems since. I make sure not to cut the nail back too far on the edges, and after many years of painful, infected mess, I've now been clear of ingrown nail problems for more than 10 years.

[grasswire]

9. some people say that cutting a V in the center...

...of the big toenail will alleviate the pressure. I don't know if that is true. But I do know that getting an emery board or small nail file down on the underside of the corner of the toenail and smoothing it off with just a few strokes will stop that corner from digging into the flesh.

Ouch. I'm sorry.

[DemReadingDU]

10. spouse always had toe problems

trimmed straight across, then would cut a V in the nail. Always a problem. Finally he went to podiatrist, and it was suggested he have the entire nail removed. It was the best thing, no more problems. Kinda gross, sorry. This was about 15 years ago, there may be better procedures nowadays.

[Dorian Gray]

12. All you need is Vitamin D!!!!

Okay... seriously, that sucks. I've had minor ones, but usually a pedicure is enough to take care of them. I have had friends who get them, and they become infected. They've had luck at the podiatrist's office. I believe that they cut the nails in such a way that relieves the pressure. Don't know about permanancy, though.