Ingrown Nail Solution: The Morphology Of Nails And Its Role In Ingrown Nails
What is an ingrown toenail, why does it occur, and what is an ingrown nail solution?
Onychocryptosis, commonly known as an ingrown toenail, is a condition and one of pediatric foot deformities that is usually located in one or both nail canals of the nail of the hallux or big toe. However, it can appear on the rest of the toes.
An ingrown toenail causes inflammation of greater or lesser magnitude depending on how long the patient endures it before seeing a podiatrist. It also presents local redness and heat.
Onychocryptosis develops due to the appearance of a foreign element, the nail, which has managed to penetrate the skin, becoming ingrown and causing intense pain.
There are two fundamental components to understanding the origin of this condition:
- On the one hand, we have the nail’s morphology. There are many types of nails; the morphology of the nail is of congenital origin, and there are some types that have a special tendency to become ingrown;
- The other reason, and the most common, is that we can cause this problem by incorrectly manipulating the nail, such as a bad cut, rounding it, and cutting beyond the nail channel where it runs.
The nail exerts pressure on the nail bed, which vestigially protects the back of the finger. Without a nail, the back of the finger would be like the pulp bulging. When we cut more than necessary, the exposed bed tends to occupy the area of the nail that we have removed, creating an obstacle that prevents the nail from growing freely. Therefore, it ends up becoming embedded.
Treatment of ingrown nails in Ontario
The first thing we must be clear about when faced with an ingrown toenail is that we cannot manipulate the area where only a podiatrist has an ingrown nail solution. Therefore, when the first symptoms of an ingrown toenail appear, the first thing to do is to make an appointment at a podiatry clinic for ingrown nail in Ontario.
There are three types of treatment based on the characteristics of the case:
- Chiropody: Primary foot care is carried out in the consultation, in which the possibility of painlessly removing the spur that causes the problem is assessed, guiding the patient to avoid future relapses.
- Orthonyxia is the same but applied to the nail. In it, what we can call a bracket is placed, a support to which a fine wire is added. This wire is responsible for pulling the nail to change its position with respect to the nail canals, seeking conservative correction of the deformity. It is a procedure that requires several check-ups and adjustments over months.
- Surgery: Surgical treatment is simpler than the word implies. Postoperative care is not complicated, nor does it require a long recovery. These are simple and noninvasive surgeries.
Pediatric foot deformities can be prevented if the population receives correct information about hygiene and care. To avoid ingrown nails, relatively long nails (without exaggerating) are better than excessively short ones. The nail should be cut straight or follow the natural shape of the finger without cutting the points on both edges of the nail.
If the nail is somewhat thick, it can be filed periodically, meaning it has less force against the finger. If we avoid excessive perspiration, we will also favor the tissues surrounding the nail being healthy and not tearing easily. If you have doubts or pain, you should go to your registered podiatrist for ingrown nails in Ontario.
At Empire Foot and Ankle, we insist on the importance of this problem being treated only by a podiatrist to avoid serious complications.