One of the only things worse than an ingrown toenail is an ingrown toenail that keeps coming back after treatment. When an ingrown toenail keeps recurring, there are a variety of reasons why it won’t go away for good. The best thing to do is discuss your issue with a licensed, experienced podiatrist about your ingrown’s recurrence. There are other things you can do to help ensure your ingrown doesn’t come back after treatment.
The first is to ensure that the treatment you’re receiving for your ingrown is the best available. You should only receive treatment for an ingrown from a licensed podiatrist. These doctors have gone to school to learn how to take care of issues with the feet specifically; never rely on a technician to do an ingrown toenail surgery. Additionally, never attempt a “bathroom” or at-home surgery for an ingrown toenail. This greatly increases your risk of infection, and if you are able to remove any of the ingrown successfully you will have a greater chance of it coming back.
After an ingrown toenail removal, you must take every precaution you can to avoid an ingrown recurrence. The biggest thing you can do to avoid having an ingrown recurrence is to wear well-fitting shoes with wide toes. These relieve pressure on your toes that can in effect “push” your nail into the side of your toe. Wearing well-fitting shoes is especially important if you’re physically active; wearing tight shoes during exercise could be a big reason your ingrown toenail keeps coming back. Also make sure to trim your toenails straight across instead of curved, which can contribute to an ingrown nail recurrence. If your ingrown toenails keep coming back after surgery, you should speak to an experienced podiatrist about the best way to move forward. To schedule a consultation with a podiatrist, give us a call at (424)-299-4627 or visit our website for more information.