Onychocryptosis is the correct medical term for ingrown toenail. Ingrown toenails are one of the most common nail disorders. It is caused when the corner of the nail grows into the paronychium or side of the nail bed, the soft fleshy tissue. Causes
Ingrown toenails can be caused by wearing improper shoes that hold your toes too close together, cutting the nails too short or uneven, an injury, or having curved toenails. Some …show more content…
they can prescribe antibiotics to prevent or treat an infection, when the infection is gone they can perform a minor surgery to cut the nail out. One of which is called partial nail avulsion this is where they cut the ingrown section out. Another option would be a partial matricectomy this is which they destroy part of your nail matrix, so a small part of your nail will stop growing. Most of these procedures are done under anesthetic medicine at the point where the toe joins with the foot. This will make the entire toe numb. You should seek immediate medical attention if you have a red streak coming from your arm or leg.
In serious cases
A tetanus immunization will be given if it has been longer than five years since the last one. Since there is a chance the open wound could develop tetanus. X-ray will be taken to make sure that the infection hasn't spread to the bone. If all other surgeries have failed they can do a matricectomy which is where they remove the whole nail and the tissue so it can't grow back. Follow up