UKC

Hey everyone,

I know there's been a topic like this before, but I had to ask it myself.

I have ingrown toe-nails that really hurt and no matter how hard I try the pain is overwhelming.

I went to the podiatry doctor and he told me 'Let your nails grow'. I listened to his advise, but things did not get any better.

I had a pedicure done and it seemed to help for a week, but as my nails grew it started hurting again.

What I did next was to cut my nails(softened my toes, removed everything that causes pain and the effect was short-term). After a week - despite there being no nail my toes still hurt.

I am not sure if this is caused by really sensitive skin or just the nails are digging in. I am starting to consider getting them removed, but I want to try everything before I resort to that.

Any advise?

Thank you!

In reply to thephoenixseal:

I had mine removed over 10 years ago - BLISS!

I don't regret it for a nanosecond.

I had many years of ingrowing issues and removal was simple and effective.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

In my experience, the toenail was growing back under the skin on the side, driving itself in as it grew. It was caused by cutting back too far and the skin folding over, so assume the doctor wants it to grow out so far that it can't grow into skin. You couldn't get to mine because it was swollen and puss(y) so the nail had to go. (Unfortunately the new nail grew into the dressing and I lost a lot of trust when my dad said he'd just have a look, and whipped the whole lot off.) It grew back, I've kept cutting them straight across ever since and never had a problem. Unless you can keep the edge of the nail free from growing back into skin, surgery may be your best bet. I assume you've read this; http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ingrown-toenail/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Good luck, not worth living with (i.e. way to sore for climbing shoes!)

In reply to thephoenixseal:

the trick is to cut a notch in the centre of the toenail;that way the nail grows towards the notch,and not into your toe.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

Do they hurt all the time, or is it your climbing shoes?

In reply to dollydog:


I second this.


you can't cut your toenails like your finger nails, you have to cut them straight across.
And/or cut a V in the middle of the nail. I doubt it would cure a serious case but for future or anyone else, it could prevent it happening.
I have heard it's an old wives tale, but it works for moi.

In reply to marsbar:
I've had it through my life, but now I actually started paying attention to it just as it started impacting on my climbing progress.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

If it's making things awkward, get the procedure done. It's trivial and you'll be back climbing pretty quickly.

I had two partial avultions done back in high school - none of the suggestions like cutting straight, cutting v shapes or packing the space out with cotton wool had made any difference, and I was constantly getting infections.

Were tender for a week or two and that was it. Eventually the bit of the nail that was supposed to be no more grew back in, but never gave me a problem again.

I have other nails that are a bit ingrown but don't give me any bother if I keep them short enough so I leave them alone.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

Probably worth getting it sorted.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

I had ingrowing toenails on both big toes in my teens exasperated by wearing rock shoes that the chiropodist did some mealy things with which had no effect. They then removed the edge of the nails and killed the root with phenol and I've had no bother since (25+ years)
Well worth doing!
Not sure I'd have fancied removal of the whole nail though.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

GET THEM GONE!

Both of my big toenails were ingrown toenails, one through new climbing shoes and one through a defective pair of running shoes and now they're both gone!

Procedure was painless and after a few weeks I was back to normal and I don't miss them at all. Only small downsides: have to remember to use the rest of my foot to scratch my lower leg in bed and, (unsure if you're married or otherwise) but a couple of girls have clocked the missing nails and been a bit weirded out by them but it's easily explained.

In reply to thephoenixseal:

I had a partial nail avulation on both big toes and had the root killed off with phenol about 15 years ago - definitely worth getting it done.

In theory you can get it done on the nhs but I was always fobbed off by my gp and ended up going to a private chiropodist (which cost about £200 but they did it the same day).