Constantly, I experience patients  due to undergo  nail surgery, who experience anxiety,  because of fear of many things. They fear the injections; oh yes… needle phobia is real; the local anaesthetic; pain during the surgery; or disfigurement from the procedure. I get asked all the time, if the toenail would look normal after; more so, if the toe would ever be normal again; and if the nail growth would be okay. This anxiety may lead to increased blood pressure, a decreased pain threshold, and mental and physical discomfort.

There will always be an initial consultation to assess and discuss what is required, and as a result, what will be done. Patients who listen, and trust the process, are usually fine. But those who check YouTube, return confused, and terrified most times.

An ingrown toenail occurs when the sharp corner of the nail grows into the surrounding skin. If it is not treated promptly, it can cause pain, redness, darkening around the toe, swelling, and possibly infection, with peeling around the toe. The other thing that can happen, is hyper granulation tissue; overgrowth of tissue occurring as a result of trauma from the nail piercing in. Here are some myths that patients usually associate with ingrown toenails, as against the realities.

Myth 1: Ingrown toenails only happen to people with weird nail shapes.

Reality: Ingrown toenails do not only happen to people with a broad nail or a nail that is curled in at the edges. Other factors contributing to the development of an ingrown toenail may include poor nail cutting technique; wearing tight shoes; having sweaty feet; stubbing your toe; or having a fungal toenail.

Myth 2: Ingrown toenails develop on the big toes only.

Reality: Any of the toenails can grow in, but the big toes are the most commonly affected. If the 2nd toe is the longest toe, and footwear is too tight, it can cause the toe to hit against the front of the shoe, and become ingrown.

Myth 3: Young children do not get ingrown toenails.

Reality: Ingrown toenails may happen to anyone, from young children, to the elderly. In fact, young boys playing football develop ingrown toenails due to repetitive pressure against the toe. Additionally, cutting the toenails too short / badly,  or peeling them off, contribute to the problem. Adolescents tend to have sweaty feet, causing the surrounding skin to be soft, so a protruding nail can easily pierce the skin.

Myth 4: As long as I cut down the edges of my nails, ingrown toenails will never happen to me.

Reality: By cutting your nail edges without the proper tools, there is a high chance that a sharp nail edge may be left behind, resulting in an ingrown toenail. Cutting down the edges, may also cause the skin to grow over the nail edge, thus causing the nail to pierce the skin when it grows longer. One should always trim the nails straight across, to prevent them from growing in.

Myth 5: Ingrown toenails can be treated by just applying medicine such as antibiotic cream, or utilising home remedy solutions.

Reality: Applying medicine may help to prevent infection. However, if the ingrown nail edge is not removed, the pain and swelling will persist.

Myth 6: The only way to treat an ingrown toenail is to have the whole nail removed by the doctor or podiatrist.

Reality: Ouch! But no! Depending on the extent of the ingrown nail, a total nail avulsion (removal of entire nail),  may not be warranted. An experienced Podiatrist will be able to use special tools to remove the small part of the nail that is cutting into the skin, without causing further injury to the surrounding area. Any dead skin at the sides of the nail will be cleared, and the nail edge will be filed down, to ensure there are no sharp edges left behind.

Myth 7: Ingrown toenail treatment is always painful and scary!

Reality: If the offending nail edge is embedded too deeply into the skin, and the pain is intolerable, a local anaesthetic can be applied to numb the toe first. A skilled Podiatrist will be able to clear the ingrown nail, with minimal pain and injury to the area. In fact, our patients leave the clinic with the original pain much relieved, once the ingrown nail is cleared.

Don’t continue to suffer needlessly, check your podiatrist today!

                                       Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them