Can a primary care doctor treat an ingrown toenail?

When seeking ingrown toenail treatment, your general practitioner or family doctor typically can provide the ingrown toenail care you need. However, in some cases, your primary care provider may refer you to a podiatrist for more specialized care, especially if surgery is necessary.

Can normal doctors fix ingrown toenails?

Surgical excision

Ingrown fingernails rarely require surgical treatment. Surgery is more common with ingrown toenails. However, if an ingrown nail doesn't resolve on its own, you may need to see a family doctor or dermatologist for a surgical solution. Doctors commonly use a procedure called nail avulsion.

What doctor looks at ingrown toenail?

Your primary health care provider or a foot doctor (podiatrist) can diagnose an ingrown toenail.

When should I go to the doctor for an ingrown toenail?

When to see a doctor. The dividing line between relying on home care and seeking medical help for an ingrown toenail is if you see signs of infection. If the pain worsens considerably, or if you see pus or blood, increased redness, nail discoloration, or notice a bad odor, you need to seek professional care promptly.

Should I see a doctor or podiatrist for ingrown toenail?

If an ingrown toenail becomes extremely painful or infected, it is important to visit a podiatrist. A podiatrist may elect to remove the nail or prescribe antibiotics for the infection.

How to Fix Ingrown Toenails Easily

Should I go to urgent care for ingrown toenail?

If ingrown toenails are ignored for too long they will eventually develop an infection. If your foot appears infected or is only getting worse you should visit urgent care. If the same ingrown toenail bothers you for 2-3 days even after you try relieving the pain on your own, you should visit a doctor.

How much does it cost to get a ingrown toenail removed?

For patients without health insurance, ingrown toenail treatment typically costs less than $50 for at-home treatment, but can reach $200-$1,000 or more if a doctor visit and a procedure to remove all or part of the toenail is required.

Will the emergency room remove an ingrown toenail?

Most ingrown toenails can be definitively managed in the Emergency Department by the Emergency Physician. The toenail usually does not grow into the soft tissue. Instead, the soft tissue overgrows and obliterates the nail sulcus in response to external pressure and irritation.

Can I leave an ingrown toenail alone?

If the infected ingrown nail is left untreated the infection can spread to the bone beneath the nail or, in extreme cases, enter the blood stream and cause sepsis, gangrene or a flesh eating disorder. For those with diabetes or peripheral vascular disease, an ingrown toenail should never be left untreated.

What happens if an ingrown toenail is left untreated?

Leaving an ingrown toenail untreated can become very serious. If left untreated, an ingrown toenail can spread to the bone beneath and infect your bone. You can also develop gangrene, which is the death and decay of the tissue. Diabetes is a particularly serious risk for foot disorders.

What is the fastest way to get rid of an ingrown toenail?

Why does my big toenail hurt when I press?

Ingrown toenail

Ingrown toenails are a common condition in which the corner or side of a toenail grows into the soft flesh. The result is pain, inflamed skin, swelling and, sometimes, an infection. Ingrown toenails usually affect the big toe. Often you can take care of ingrown toenails on your own.

How long does it take for an ingrown toenail to grow out?

An exposed nail bed may be very painful. Removing your whole ingrown toenail (complete nail plate avulsion) increases the likelihood your toenail will come back deformed. It may take 3-4 months for your nail to regrow.

How do you remove a deep ingrown toenail?

Use a pair of tweezers to gently push a tiny piece of cotton or gauze into the corner of your toenail where it's ingrown. This helps to make a space between the nail and the skin. Cut the visible nail corner or the ingrown spur away to help relieve the pressure and pain.

How do you dissolve an ingrown toenail?

The best way to do this is to put the toe in water while rubbing the Epsom salt into the affected area. The Epsom salt will absorb into the skin and help to soften and dissolve portions of the nail that has become embedded in the skin.

Can I put Neosporin on an ingrown toenail?

Most ingrown toenails can be treated by soaking the foot in warm, soapy water and applying a topical antibiotic ointment, such as polymyxin/neomycin (one brand: Neosporin). Your doctor can also put cotton wisps, dental floss, or splints under the edge of the ingrown toenail between the toenail and the skin.

Does hydrogen peroxide help ingrown toenails?

Hydrogen peroxide is another great option to treat ingrown toenails at home. It is a natural disinfectant, which is the reason why it is commonly used to clean wounds. Soak your infected foot in a bucket of water and hydrogen peroxide solution for 15 to 20 minutes.

Does cutting an ingrown toenail make it worse?

Sometimes, an ingrown nail can break the skin. This makes it easier for bacteria and other microbes to enter the skin, potentially causing a painful infection. Attempting to cut an ingrown nail can further increase this risk, as it can damage the skin further — especially if the toenail is very embedded in the skin.

What can a doctor do for an infected ingrown toenail?

To treat an ingrown toenail, your doctor might lift the nail and place a piece of cotton or a splint underneath it. This will help the nail grow away from your skin. If lifting doesn't work, the doctor can remove part or all of the affected nail. Sometimes the infection can cause a pus-filled blister to form.

What does the hospital do for an ingrown toenail?

If your toenail is very ingrown, your doctor might suggest minor surgery to remove all or part of the ingrown nail. He or she may refer you to a podiatrist. During this surgery, the doctor will numb your toe. Then he or she will cut the edge of the ingrown toenail and pull out the piece of nail.

Where should I go for an infected ingrown toenail?

If you detect any signs of an ingrown toenail infection like pain, swelling, irritation, abscess, redness, you should immediately go to see a foot doctor or podiatrist.

Can a family doctor remove an ingrown toenail?

Although many types of doctors, including family physicians, pediatricians, urgent-care walk-in physicians, and dermatologists, can treat ingrown toenails, podiatrists (foot and ankle specialty doctors) are uniquely qualified among the medical professionals to treat this condition.

How do Podiatrists treat ingrown toenails?

A podiatrist will remove the ingrown portion of the nail and may prescribe a topical or oral medication to treat the infection. If ingrown nails are a chronic problem, your podiatrist can perform a procedure to permanently prevent ingrown nails.

Do nail salons cause ingrown toenails?

Nothing wrong with that, but make sure to go to an experienced technician. “Pedicures can cause ingrown nails if the nail technician is overly aggressive in cutting back a toenail,” says podiatrist Dina Stock, DPM.

Why do I get ingrown toenails on my big toe?

An ingrown toenail is a foot condition that develops when the corner of the toenail grows down into the skin. It usually affects the big toe. Ingrown toenails often happen when people cut their toenails by tapering the corner of their toenail. If the toenail curves with the shape of the toe, it can grow into your skin.