At Fixing Feet Institute, we place a strong emphasis on resolving lower limb issues, including skin and toenail problems, with conservative methods whenever possible. Accordingly, it is our goal to help you avoid ingrown toenail surgery, and we have tips to reduce your risk of needing these procedures. Of course, we have the right equipment, environment, and staff to perform effective surgeries, but let’s see how you can avoid getting to this point.
Preventing Ingrown Toenails
When it comes to avoiding surgery for an ingrown nail, the best starting point is not having a toenail become ingrown. To that end, there are ways to prevent ingrown toenails, including:
- Trimming your nails correctly. Too many people round off their toenails when clipping them. This is likely because that’s how we trim our fingernails. The best way to clip your toenails, though, is cut them straight across and keep them roughly even with the edge of your toes (instead of trimming them too short).
- Wearing shoes that fit well. Always choose footwear featuring wide, deep toe boxes. Shoes with narrow, tight fronts can squash your toes together and result in ingrown nails. As a rule of thumb, toes should be able to wiggle freely in shoes.
- Protecting your feet. If your work puts you at risk for potentially dropping heavy items on your feet, make sure you wear safety shoes or steel-toed work boots.
- Asking for help. In case you need to move something heavy at home, enlist the help of a friend or family member to reduce your risk of dropping it on your feet.
If the condition already exists, one way to potentially avoid ingrown toenail surgery is catching the problem early. In this case, you can soak your foot, gently lift the ingrown section, and place a bit of fresh dental floss underneath. This will guide the nail to grow over the skin, and not into it.
These tips can certainly reduce your risk of needing ingrown toenail surgery, but it is important to note that not all cases are completely avoidable. When you do need lower limb surgery, you can take comfort in the fact Fixing Feet Institute has the right equipment, environment, and staff to perform effective surgeries.
For additional information, or to request your appointment with our Surprise, AZ podiatrist office, simply give us a call at (623) 584-5556 or take advantage of our online form today!
