Ingrown
Toenail
Treatment
Suffering from a painful or infected ingrown toenail? At Cutting Edge Podiatry in Cambridge, our experienced podiatrists offer ingrown toenail treatment and surgery to relieve discomfort and help prevent recurring problems.
Depending on the severity of your condition, treatment may require ingrown toenail surgery under local anaesthetic. We offer partial or total nail removal, with aftercare and follow-up appointments to support healing.
What’s an Ingrown Toenail?
An ingrown toenail develops when the sides of the nail grow, curl and pierce into the surrounding skin. An ingrown toenail often affects the big toe on one or both sides. The surrounding skin becomes red, swollen and tender.
It is crucial to see a foot care specialist if the toenail presents symptoms of infection such as heat, throbbing pain, bleeding or letting pus out.
Diabetes could aggravate the condition of your ingrown toenail and prolong the healing process. Please contact your GP or a podiatrist as soon as possible.
Causes of Ingrown Toenail
Ingrown toenails can develop for several reasons, including incorrect nail trimming, tight footwear, injury, or the natural shape of the nail. Understanding the causes can help reduce the risk of recurring problems.
Badly cut toenails: leaving the edges of the toenail square and sharp could lead them to grow into the skin and cause an ingrown toenail and an infection. Filing the edges of the nail is a good practice to prevent this from happening.
Wearing tight-fitted shoes: tight footwear places pressure on the skin surrounding the toenail and cause it to pierce and allowing it to curl and grow into it.
The natural shape of the nail: some people have involuted nails (curved nails), causing them to be more disposed to develop an ingrown toenail.
Fungal nail infections: the build up of thick skin under the nail causes the toenail to thicken, widen, and grow into the surrounding soft skin.
Find out more in our guide to ingrowing toenails, their causes, treatment, and prevention.
Treatment of Ingrown Toenail
An ingrown toenail could be treated by nail surgery, performed under local anaesthetic. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, a partial or total nail removal could be carried out.
Not all ingrown toenails require surgery. For some patients, Orthonyxia (ingrown toenail bracing) may be a suitable non-surgical alternative, helping guide the nail into a healthier shape.
Ingrown Toenail Surgery in Cambridge
For persistent, recurring, or particularly painful ingrown toenails, nail surgery may be recommended. Our experienced Cambridge podiatrists perform nail surgery under local anaesthetic, so the affected toe is numbed during the procedure.
Depending on your condition, surgery may involve removing the affected side of the nail (partial nail removal) or removing the entire nail (total nail removal).
Our nail surgery packages include dressings and follow-up care. Partial nail surgery packages also include K-Laser therapy to support healing and a further telephone check-in.
The recovery from this procedure is usually between 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the type of procedure performed. You can return to work or school the day after the procedure, wearing footwear that can accommodate the dressing. We will provide special dressing packs to ensure you have enough until the toe has healed and schedule review appointments.
For current treatment costs and full package details, please see our podiatry price list.
Why Choose Us?
At Cutting Edge Podiatry in Cambridge, we are committed to providing the highest quality foot care services to our patients. Our team of registered and experienced podiatrists have the knowledge and expertise to diagnose and treat a wide range of foot conditions, including ingrown toenails. We use the latest technology and techniques to ensure you receive the best care possible.
If you are suffering from an ingrown toenail, don’t hesitate to contact us today to schedule an appointment. We will work with you to alleviate your foot problems and get you back on your feet.
Book Your Podiatry
Appointment
Book online or call our friendly team on 01223 633 038 to make an appointment with a podiatrist. No referral required. Our podiatry clinic is located in Cambridge.
Providing Footcare in Cambridge since 2012
Accessibility: Our clinic has an accessible parking space outside, ground floor treatment rooms, and a ground floor accessible toilet.
Armed Forces: We are proud supporters of the Armed Forces Covenant.