Ingrown toenail (onychocryptosis) is a disease in which the nail plate grows into soft tissues on one or both sides of the periarticular roller. This is the beginning of inflammation, the occurrence of painful sensations, redness and swelling.
The content of the article:
Causes of ingrown toenail
Symptoms of ingrown toenail
Treatment of ingrown toenail
Prevention of ingrown toenail
Ingrown toenail
The first toe is most often the place where the nail grows, what to do if there are unpleasant sensations? You should consult a doctor as soon as possible. An ingrown toenail may become inflamed again after treatment, although more than 70 methods of correcting this problem are used in medicine, but it is almost impossible to completely prevent the return of the disease.
Treatment of an ingrown nail can be carried out in two ways: conservative and surgical. When choosing the first method, the ingrown nail is treated by taking warm baths, applying ointments, treating the site of inflammation with antiseptics. Additionally, special tools are used to align the nail plate.
Surgical intervention is indicated if the conservative method has not shown its effectiveness. Then an invasive manipulation is prescribed — partial or complete removal of the nail.
The most frequent patients seeking medical help with complaints of ingrown toenail are young people known for their love of wearing fashionable and beautiful, but often uncomfortable shoes.
Causes of ingrown toenail
There are two main reasons for ingrown toenail. The factor causing the disease is genetics, namely: the formation of an abnormal nail shape. In addition, a predisposition to ingrowth can also be considered as a cause. If there is such a tendency, then, most likely, the problem is an excessive build-up of soft tissues under the nail pad on the nail plate along the edge.
You can provoke the appearance of an ingrown nail, for example, by incorrectly performing a pedicure. An ingrown nail is formed from the constant cutting of the corners of the nail.
Also, the appearance of an ingrown nail can cause the wrong choice of shoes and their wearing. If it is tight and squeezes the leg, there is a redirection of nail growth deep into the periarticular rollers, thus its ingrowth occurs.
Ingrowing of the nail can provoke concomitant diseases and various pathologies. For example, fungal diseases of the toes, injuries, flat feet, clubfoot, etc. can lead to improper growth of the nail plate.
Due to the occurrence and ongoing development of the disease, a specialist diagnoses an ingrown toenail, treatment is prescribed according to the diagnosis.
Symptoms of ingrown toenail
An ingrown toenail is characterized primarily by the presence of an inflammatory process and changes in the periarticular roller. Symptoms of the disease are swelling, redness of the ingrown area, painful sensations when pressing and walking.
The patient complains about the inability to wear closed shoes because of the pain caused by the friction of the ingrown nail on the material.
Possible infectious infection in the area of the ingrown nail. There is suppuration of the periarticular roller, pain and swelling increase. The danger of this disease lies in the fact that with a combination of factors of suppuration, inflammation of the ingrown nail and the presence of diseases such as diabetes, immunodeficiency, atherosclerosis, it is possible to transfer the infection to the surrounding tissues and bones.
Treatment of ingrown toenail
Conservative treatment is used in the initial stages, because in this case it is most effective. Early treatment will not only ease the patient’s condition, but will also prevent the possibility of the disease returning.
During treatment, it is necessary to abandon wearing tight and squeezing shoes, preferably if the patient can wear open shoes or walk barefoot. Such recommendations are given by a specialist, a podiatrist.
Conservative treatment includes the use of warm baths with antiseptics, for example, potassium permanganate, furacilin, St. John’s wort and chamomile decoctions. A bandage with an antibacterial drug may also be applied.
An ingrown toenail caused by an untreated fungus is affected with the help of canisone, lamisil, nizoral and other antifungal medications.
Additionally, the use of medical instruments is prescribed: Fraser staples, B/S plates, half-braces, etc. These are wire structures that fix the nail in the correct anatomical position. The advantage of using these tools is their small size, which does not interfere with wearing shoes.
The lack of results of conservative therapy means the need for surgical intervention performed under anesthesia. The nail can be removed completely or partially with the help of radio waves, laser, surgical excision. Partial removal of the nail plate is called resection, but such a procedure can lead to re-ingrowing of the nail.
In order for the disease not to recur, it is possible to remove part of the sprout plate of the nail, which will later grow narrower than the previous one.
If the complete removal of the plate is shown, then it is necessary to eliminate the entire nail growth zone. It will stop growing at all, and an autodermoplasty procedure is used to ensure the aesthetic appearance of the nail.
In modern medicine, the method of laser correction of the nail plate is used. At the same time, both the nail and the nail roller are corrected. This method allows you to completely get rid of the problem, and the rehabilitation period lasts no more than one week, which is twice as fast as with a conventional surgical intervention. It is extremely unlikely that an ingrown toenail will appear again.
Prevention of ingrown toenail
Firstly, it is necessary to use hygiene products correctly and regularly; secondly, carefully and carefully treat the pedicure. You can not cut the corners of the nails short. A properly executed pedicure is a square nail shape with rounded edges.
Thirdly, it is not recommended to wear very narrow shoes, you need to choose a model with an extended toe, in which the front part of the foot of the foot will be in a free, not clamped state.
People who have problems with the structure of the foot, flat feet, clubfoot, to prevent the appearance of an ingrown nail, experts advise to pay attention to the uneven distribution of the load on the foot or the position of the foot in shoes, when even one finger can be squeezed. Such patients are recommended to choose the right shoes, boots, boots or wear special orthopedic shoes.
