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The ingrowth of the nail plate into the soft tissues of the finger is not a rare phenomenon. In medical practice, this phenomenon is characterized by the term onychocryptosis. Most often it is noted on the big toe. Men are more prone to onychocryptosis, however, ingrown nails are common among women.
This phenomenon causes discomfort when walking, pain, as well as deformation and injury of soft tissues. Treatment of onychocryptosis with timely treatment to a medical institution allows you to get rid of the negative consequences.
Causes of ingrown
The most common cause of ingrown nails is the deformation of its edges due to improper nail care, violation of pedicure procedures. At the same time, the sources of the problem may be: flat feet; fungal formations on the nails – onychomycosis; orthopedic valgus pathology with foot deformity; excess amount of soft tissues of the nail bed in the lower part; nail injury.
One of the reasons is called a genetic predisposition, when onychocryptosis was noted in several generations of the family. The development of an acquired ingrown toenail is facilitated by the regular wearing of narrow and tight shoes.
Also, the cause may be the formation of granulomas on the fingers in the area of the nail bed. Another favorable factor can be frequent fluctuations in body weight, as a result of which the structure of the nail and the anatomy of the nail plate are disturbed.
Ingrown toenail symptoms
The first sign that prompts you to pay attention to the toe is pain. They are especially noticeable when walking and when wearing uncomfortable shoes. Further, redness appears at the site of ingrowth. Signs proceed in the following sequence: at the site of ingrowth, the skin thickens; the inflammatory process begins; bleeding wounds may appear.
With untimely medical intervention at the site of localization of onychocryptosis, an inflammatory process begins to emerge with simultaneous infection of the affected part of the finger.
Therapies
Modern medicine allows you to cope with the task of removing an ingrown nail by several methods that involve the use of modern equipment and tools:
- laser exposure method – a virtually painless procedure, minimizes the likelihood of relapse;
- application of corrective plates;
- hardware technique using low-frequency radio waves;
- surgical methods that involve the rapid and complete removal of the edges of the nail itself and the correction of the consequences of its ingrowth.
Using modern technologies and tools, each of the procedures demonstrates a high degree of efficiency and proceeds with virtually no discomfort. In most cases, the procedure for removing an ingrown toenail takes an average of 7-25 minutes, depending on the method used. Complex tissue damage can take up to 2 weeks to heal.
What are the benefits of laser ingrown toenail removal?
From accelerated recovery to minimal risk, laser ingrown toenail removal treatment provides many benefits:
- Local anesthesia. Some patients are allergic to general anesthesia, while others have difficulty recovering from anesthesia. Laser procedures often require only local anesthesia and less recovery time.
- Less pain. Completely bloodless procedure. Depending on the diagnosis, laser techniques can reduce the amount of pain a patient experiences during treatment.
- The recovery period is shorter. Unlike invasive surgeries, laser treatment quickly returns the patient to their usual way of life.
- Minimal discomfort and scarring. Compared to alternative methods, laser treatment results in minimal scarring and discomfort.
- Precise treatment. Laser treatment allows the orthopedist to specifically target the affected area and gain precise control over the procedure. After laser removal, the possibility of recurrence is minimal.
- No risk of infection. Most often, the disease is accompanied by an inflammatory process of adjacent tissues. The laser prevents infection from entering the wound and eliminates the risk of re-inflammation.
How is the procedure performed
It is important to understand that self-medication can significantly aggravate the situation. Doctors recommend not to delay and urgently remove the ingrown nail. Previously, this procedure was done with a scalpel, but today everything is much easier, as surgeons began to use a laser.
The procedure is performed using a fractional carbon dioxide CO2 laser, which provides minimal trauma and quick rehabilitation. The doctor passes the beam through the lesions, which allows you to evaporate the roots of the ingrown part of the nail and the edges. The intensity of the laser can be controlled, which allows you to adjust the depth and area of treatment. Together with the ingrown nail, the doctor also removes the affected areas of the skin in order to suppress the inflammatory process and prevent further infection. After carrying out all the manipulations, a sterile special bandage is applied to the laser-treated area. The duration of the procedure is on average half an hour, after which the patient does not need to limit himself in walking, etc. After the operation, it is not recommended to wet, injure the damaged area for the first 5 days, and also do not remove the special bandage. Fully healing takes place in 1 month (it is worth noting that recovery after surgery is 6 months).
The procedure does not require any special preparations, has no contraindications. It is done quickly and painlessly. It is only important to choose the right surgeon who will perform the operation to remove the ingrown nail with a laser as accurately and carefully as possible.