Ingrown Nails and Podiatrist

An ingrown toenail develops when the edge or corner of the nail grows into the surrounding skin instead of over it — most often on the big toe. The result is pain, swelling, redness, and, if bacteria get in, infection. While it can seem minor, an untreated ingrown nail can become a draining, recurring problem, and for patients with diabetes or poor circulation it can turn into a serious wound. Seeing a podiatrist — a physician who specializes in the foot and ankle — resolves it quickly and helps keep it from coming back.

Why See a Podiatrist for an Ingrown Toenail

• Accurate diagnosis: we confirm whether the nail is simply ingrown or already infected, and identify the cause — improper trimming, tight shoes, trauma, or an inherited nail shape.
• Fast pain relief: the ingrown border can be numbed and removed safely in the office, usually in minutes.
• Infection control: if an infection or abscess is present, we drain it and treat it appropriately.
• Prevention of recurrence: for nails that keep coming back, a simple in-office procedure permanently narrows the nail.

In-Office Treatment

For a one-time ingrown nail, we perform a partial nail avulsion — numbing the toe and removing only the offending border. For chronic or repeatedly ingrown nails, we add a matrixectomy, which treats the nail root so the problem border does not regrow. Both are quick, performed under local anesthesia, and let most patients return to normal shoes and activity within a day or two.

When to Be Seen Right Away

Call promptly if you have diabetes, neuropathy, or poor circulation, or if you notice spreading redness, pus, increasing pain, or fever. These warrant same-day evaluation to prevent a deeper infection of the skin or bone.

How to Prevent Ingrown Toenails

• Trim nails straight across — not curved into the corners — and not too short
• Wear shoes with adequate room in the toe box
• Keep feet clean and dry, and inspect them daily if you are diabetic

For more information or to schedule an evaluation with a board-certified foot and ankle specialist, call (239) 430-3668 (FOOT) or book online at NaplesPodiatrist.com.

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Serving Southwest Florida since 2005, Family Foot & Leg Center has 9 convenient locations throughout Collier, Lee, Charlotte, and Sarasota Counties — Naples, Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Port Charlotte, and Sarasota. We provide pediatric to geriatric foot and ankle care: ingrown toenails, heel pain, bunions, foot & ankle arthritis, plantar fasciitis, foot & ankle surgery, custom orthotics, and diabetic wound care — with in-office X-rays, diagnostic ultrasound, and minor surgical suites. Home of the Lam Minimally Invasive No-Scar Bunion Surgery. Same-day appointments and easy online scheduling.