Ingrown Toenail Treatment | Birmingham, AL

Do You Need Help for an Ingrown Toenail?

Anyone can suffer from an ingrown toenail—people of all ages, sexes and gender identities, heritage, activity levels, career paths, and those with and without health issues. What is it that all our patients with ingrown toenails have in common? They present these symptoms/experiences:

• They have pain or discomfort in their big toe every time they put on shoes.
• Their affected toe is swollen or draining, and they're worried about infection (this applies to all patients with the condition, but is especially true for those who also have diabetes or circulation issues).
• Pain is causing them to have to stay home from school, the gym, sports, or work.
• Many patients also come to us because they've had an ingrown toenail treated before, but with only short-term relief before it develops again.

Are you unsure if what you're experiencing is actually an ingrown toenail? Call our Birmingham office—we’ll help you decide if you need to schedule a visit with our podiatrist for an exam.

 

What Is an Ingrown Toenail?

An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of your toenail (usually on your big toe) is growing into the skin of the toe, pressing into the tender tissue there, causing pain and inflammation. Usually, ingrown toenails present with pain, swelling, and (when left untreated), possible infection in the affected area of skin.

For a more detailed analysis and explanation of what causes ingrown toenails (for the first time or recurring), check out our "Why Do I Keep Getting Ingrown Toenails?” blog post.

 

Ingrown Toenail Symptoms — and When It’s Time to See a Podiatrist

Typical Symptoms (non-urgent)

Although you need to keep an eye on these typical symptoms that characterize ingrown toenails, as well as clean the affected area and possibly see a doctor for antibiotics, they are not signs of an emergency:

• Pain or tenderness along one side of the nail
• Red, swollen skin next to the nail
• Hard, thickening skin on the nail border
• Clear or slightly cloudy drainage

If symptoms are mild, it might be your first ingrown nail; however, if they persist or worsen, we recommend an examination.

Emergency/Urgent Symptoms

When the ingrown nail digs into the skin surrounding your toe, there's no question that it's going to hurt. However, if your symptoms worsen and you notice any of the following, you should immediately seek urgent or emergency medical attention:

• Spreading redness up the foot or leg
• Fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell
• Severe, sudden worsening pain
• Foul-smelling drainage or a wound that won’t heal
• Any signs of infection if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system

 

How We Treat Ingrown Toenails in Our Birmingham Office

First-Line Care in the Office (Non-Surgical)

Our methods of in-office care for ingrown toenails depend on the severity of the condition for the individual patient. For mild/early ingrown toenail cases, we will offer non-surgical treatments, including:

• Professional trimming/debridement
• Guidance on shoe size/fit and nail care
• Protective pads or toe caps

In-Office Procedures for Lasting Relief

Partial Nail Removal (Most Common)

When treating ingrown toenails, our podiatrist performs a procedure called a partial nail evulsion, which involves removing only the problematic, ingrown edge of the nail; the rest of the nail remains in place.

This is a quick, in-office procedure, and afterward, you should be back to wearing (roomy) shoes in just a day or two.

Permanent Solutions for Recurring Ingrown Toenails

For patients with recurring or “chronic” cases of ingrown toenails, we offer a permanent solution that combines two non-invasive procedures: partial nail avulsion and a partial matricectomy (treating the nail root, also known as the matrix, to prevent regrowth).

After this procedure, your nail will temporarily appear slightly narrower than before, but it will return to its normal appearance once healed.

If your ingrown toenail is recurring, learn more about permanent solutions here.

Severe or Complex Cases

In extremely rare cases, complete nail removal may be necessary or offered as an option. This option will be available for patients with recurring ingrown toenails when both sides of the same nail dig into the surrounding toe skin and/or when the nail is severely thickened or damaged.

 

What to Expect When You Come In

#1 Evaluation & Diagnosis

First, you'll see Dr. Linde and discuss the symptoms affecting your toe or toenail, as well as your medical history. He'll investigate the symptoms you report by examining your toe. Sometimes, this involves an X-ray to determine if your toe bones are contributing to your condition, and we’ll draw some labs if there are any signs of or concerns about infection.

#2 Your Treatment Plan

Next, we'll discuss whether conservative care or a minor procedure is the best option. We'll walk you through the risks, benefits, and what fits your lifestyle (work, sports, etc.).

#3 In-Office Procedure (If Needed)

If your treatment plan calls for it and you are comfortable with it, we will schedule a brief in-office procedure. During this procedure, we will numb the affected area with a local anesthetic for your comfort.

There’s no need to worry about this being a big, scary surgery. It’s actually a brief, low-stakes, non-invasive procedure where you'll be able to go home on the same day. There won't even be stitches involved. Most patients are surprised by how quickly the procedure is and how much more comfortable their toe feels once we remove the ingrown edge.

#4 Aftercare & Follow-Up

After your procedure, you'll be sent home with instructions on how to monitor and care for your surgical wound. You'll need to regularly change your bandages and soothe and cleanse your wound with some warm water and Epsom salt foot soaks.

We'll also schedule a follow-up visit a few weeks after the procedure, where we'll check on your healing progress and discuss when you're ready to return to various activities.

 

Why Patients in Birmingham, Hoover, and Vestavia Hills Choose Us

• Specialized experience: Dr. Linde and our staff have years of experience treating ingrown toenails, from first-time cases to chronic, recurring problems. Learn more about Dr. Linde, including his credentials and experience, here.
• In-office procedures: We perform all ingrown toenail treatments right in our Birmingham podiatry office—no expensive, complex hospital visits needed.
• Younger, active patients welcome: We help runners, gym-goers, students, and busy professionals get back on their feet quickly.
• Trusted local care: Our office is located at One Independence Plaza in the Birmingham Regions Bank building, offering convenient accessibility for patients in Hoover and Vestavia Hills.