Podiatrist - Portland
15 Sewall St
Portland, Maine 04102
207-774-0028
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Painful ingrown nails
Comments:
Ingrown Nails
By Dr. Kurlanski
January 15, 2010
An ingrown toenail is caused by pressure of the nail against the skin on the side of the nail. Prolonged periods of pressure can cause irritation of the skin, swelling, infection, and pain. Ingrown nails are seen mainly in the big toes, but can affect the smaller toes as well. If you think you are getting an infection in the toe you can soak your foot in warm water and Epsom salts, pat dry and apply antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandaid. If the pain or infection does not resolve, part of the toenail may need to be removed. This will relieve the pain and infection usually within a couple of days. If you are prone to recurrent ingrown toenails they can be permanently corrected with an in office procedure.
-Dr. K