If you've ever had an ingrown toenail, you know just how disproportionately painful such a small problem can be. At the Lower Limb Clinic in Belfast, we treat ingrown toenails every single day — from mild cases to severely infected nails that need surgery.
What Causes Ingrown Toenails?
- Cutting nails too short or rounding the corners
- Tight footwear pressing on the toes
- Trauma — stubbing your toe or dropping something on it
- Genetics — some people have naturally curved nails
- Sweaty feet — softened skin is more easily penetrated
- Involuted nails — nails that curve excessively at the edges
Signs of Infection
An ingrown toenail becomes urgent when it's infected. Signs include:
- Increasing pain, redness, and swelling
- Pus or discharge from the nail edge
- Overgrowth of red, angry tissue (hypergranulation tissue)
- The pain is affecting your ability to walk or wear shoes
If you have any of these signs, don't wait — book an urgent appointment.
Treatment Option 1: Conservative Care
For mild ingrown nails without infection, conservative treatment may be sufficient:
- Professional nail cutting to remove the offending spike
- Nail packing to redirect growth
- Footwear and nail-cutting advice
- Antiseptic and dressing if needed
This is painless and takes about 15-20 minutes. However, if the problem recurs — which it often does — surgery may be the better long-term solution.
Treatment Option 2: Nail Surgery (Partial Nail Avulsion)
Nail surgery is the gold standard for recurrent or severe ingrown toenails. Here's what's involved:
- Local anaesthetic: The toe is numbed completely — you won't feel a thing
- Nail removal: Only the problematic edge of the nail is removed (not the whole nail)
- Phenolisation: A chemical is applied to prevent that portion of nail from regrowing
- Dressing: The toe is dressed and you can walk out immediately
The procedure takes about 30 minutes and has a success rate of over 95%. Most patients are back in normal shoes within 2-3 weeks.
Does Nail Surgery Hurt?
The injection to numb the toe is the only uncomfortable part, and it lasts about 10 seconds. Once numb, you won't feel the procedure at all. Most patients say: "I wish I'd done this sooner."
Why Choose the Lower Limb Clinic?
- We perform nail surgery weekly — it's routine for us
- All procedures are performed by HCPC-registered podiatrists
- Same-week appointments are often available
- Full aftercare and follow-up included
- Located at 459 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast — free parking available
Stop Suffering — Get It Sorted
An ingrown toenail won't fix itself, and home remedies rarely work long-term. Whether you need conservative treatment or nail surgery, we can see you quickly and resolve the problem. Call 028 9013 9185 or book online today.
