Ingrown Toenail
Podiatric surgeon and foot & ankle specialist in austin, tx
Ingrown Toenail Services Offered In Austin, Tx
Ingrown Toenail Q&A
What are the symptoms of an ingrown toenail?
An ingrown toenail usually causes pink or reddish skin on one corner of the nail. Swelling and pain are both common.
Untreated ingrown toenails can become infected, which may cause pus and fluid leakage from the nail. A severe ingrown toenail can cause granuloma tissue growth — bright red skin that envelops the side of the nail.
What causes an ingrown toenail?
Some of the most common causes of ingrown toenails include:
- Cutting nails too short
- Cutting nails with curved-down edges
- Having a large nail plate
- Having long toes
- Malpositioned big toe due to a bunion
- Routinely wearing tight shoes
- Unusual nail growth due to nail fungus
- Toe injury such as stubbed toe
- Repeated pressure on the toes
Other factors may contribute to the development of ingrown toenails. For example, people with diabetes often experience ingrown toenails and have difficulty healing due to vascular issues.
How are ingrown toenails treated?
At Align Foot & Ankle, Dr. Ho-Ellsworth uses both proven surgical excision as well as the newest innovation in ingrown toenail treatment, Onyfix nail correction system. This pain-free treatment encourages your ingrown toenail to return to its natural shape.
Before your treatment, Dr. Ho-Ellsworth prepares your toenail by filing the top of it lightly. This creates a roughened surface upon which she applies a primer. She cures the primer with an LED light.
Next, Dr. Ho-Ellsworth applies a band of composite material to the bottom of the nail. She shapes the band to fit perfectly. The composite material hardens and acts like a tiny brace for the nail.
Over the coming weeks, the Onyfix system shifts upwards as your nail grows naturally. After several weeks, the system reaches the end of your toenail and Dr. Ho-Ellsworth removes it during a quick in-office procedure. Once you complete treatment, your ingrown toenail won’t return because the system retrained your nail and widened its space.
Other ingrown toenail treatments involve surgery to remove the corner of the nail, but surgical procedures can be painful and require a long time to heal. Onyfix requires no incisions, no downtime, no anesthesia, and is a 100% pain-free procedure.
To learn more about your best treatment solutions for ingrown toenails, call Align Foot & Ankle or schedule an appointment online today.
- 1600 W. 38th Street, Suite 408 Austin, Tx 78731 (inside The Jefferson Building)
Useful Links
Hours of Operation
- Monday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
