INGROWN NAIL

From morbid alterations of nails, surgeons see most of the times
ingrown nails. Unfortunately, often happens that during a pedicure the
edge is cut too much on the side, so they damage even the soft part
and let nail grow also to the side, not only upwards. Where can it
extend? Only into the meat. For a while patient bears it, then turns to a
surgeon. The traditional surgical removal does not give always
satisfactory result. But since there are surgical lasers, improvement is
98%.

Operating an ingrown nail – according to my oppinion – in every case
the whole nail should be taken off. It has no sense to cut only the edge
because it doesn’t heal better, indeed, there’s no less pain but more
inconvenience because the nail grows unevenly. I meet many times
patients whose nail was taken off several times or only the edge was
cut. This procedure results only temporary inmprovement and expose
the patient to other operations.

The main point of the intervention is: there are 2 small puctures at the
(ujjtő) /anaesthesia Oberst-style/ then taking off is painless,
garanteed. (Of course when the anaesthesia fades there’s some pain
but bearable. I always prescribe painkiller to the patients).

I take off the nail then I extirpate its root at both sides with laser and I
clean the fossa from the hypertrophy of granulation.
In the first 1-2 days I put a bigger bandage ont he toe which probably
does not fit into the shoe. Therefore I ask you to bring a sandal with
open nose or a pair of slippers. After 2 days I change the bandage in
my surgery and you need to use a painting for 8-10 days. After few
days you can do it yourself.

If ingrown nail contains fungal infection too, the case is more difficult.
Oitments, solutions do not penetrate the nail plate, but the hypha
(átszövi) the nail plate. That’s why it is so difficult to get rid of it. If we
took off the nail and its place is healed – after 8-10 days – we should
applicate a cure against the fungus in order that the nail grow in
healthy circumstances.

In the first picture the nail is in bad condition and strongly inflamed. The
nail is wide like a shovel. Granulation is big at both sides.

In the second picture nail can be seen after taking off, changing by
laser and healing. Both toepads are round again. Inflamation stopped
and the new nail is growing. Having normal sized nail takes 4-6 months.

Before and after intervention