Experiences with ingrown toenails?

Lari

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Okay, I'm 95% sure I have an ingrown toenail. My primary care doctor says it looks like it, and it's painful to the touch, but doesn't look infected I don't think. I made an appointment with a podiatrist for a couple weeks from now, but the description my pcp gave of them removing the ingrown part got me nervous, and I'm having nightmares of them having to take out the whole toenail and my foot looking weird.

Has anyone been to a podiatrist for an ingrown nail? Was the procedure to fix it traumatizing? What was recovery like? Am I making this into a huge thing in my head when it's really not? Because obviously I'd like my foot not to be in lowkey pain anymore, but I'm also scared.
 

Robyn5678

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I had one removed. The dr numbed it and cut out the little piece that was curled into my toe. It wasn’t traumatizing. I didn’t feel it because I was numb. Then he wrapped up my foot and I took it easy a few days.
 

Robyn5678

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Also it took longer to wait for the numbing to take effect than the whole procedure.
 

denice

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I have known a few people over the years who had them and for all but one it was no big deal. One visit a few more days of being a little sore and it was done. The one person for whom it turned into a big deal had put off going in to get it taken care of it. She kept thinking it would take care of itself so it turned into a bigger deal.
 
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Lari

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I had one removed. The dr numbed it and cut out the little piece that was curled into my toe. It wasn’t traumatizing. I didn’t feel it because I was numb. Then he wrapped up my foot and I took it easy a few days.
Thank you! This is helpful. You couldn't feel anything?
 

Robyn5678

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Thank you! This is helpful. You couldn't feel anything?
Nope not a thing. Following few days was sore, kinda throbbing but I did not feel anything of the procedure. My toenail was so ingrown that it caused a blister on my toe next to the nail crease. I couldn’t even wear shoes. I don’t recommend letting it get that bad.
 

Jem

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I've dealt with a couple ingrowns over the years, but took care of them myself. It's instant relief when you get it out. For more advanced ingrowns I've had a few people I know have to get them removed and like others have said, it hurts for a few days when the freezing wears off but all ended well for them.
The biggest thing that will encourage an ingrown to form is cutting the toe nails too short or rounding the edges. When cutting them, keep the toe nail longer than where the skin crease on the sides of your nail is. It's best to cut them straight across. The nails should never "round down" into the crease sides.
1656084792874.png
 
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Lari

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Nope not a thing. Following few days was sore, kinda throbbing but I did not feel anything of the procedure. My toenail was so ingrown that it caused a blister on my toe next to the nail crease. I couldn’t even wear shoes. I don’t recommend letting it get that bad.
Hopefully it'll continue to be okayish the next couple weeks until my appointment. I have some epsom salts I can soak it in for now.

I've dealt with a couple ingrowns over the years, but took care of them myself. It's instant relief when you get it out. For more advanced ingrowns I've had a few people I know have to get them removed and like others have said, it hurts for a few days when the freezing wears off but all ended well for them.
The biggest thing that will encourage an ingrown to form is cutting the toe nails too short or rounding the edges. When cutting them, keep the toe nail longer than where the skin crease on the sides of your nail is. It's best to cut them straight across. The nails should never "round down" into the crease sides.
View attachment 424293
The nail actually broke a while back. I don't remember if I accidentally hit it on something or dropped something on it, but I think that's probably what caused it, but I'm definitely keeping in mind how I cut them in the future!
 
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Robyn5678

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Glad you got it done. Rest up and you’ll be back on your toes before you know it!
 
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