Ingrown Toenail Surgery Canberra

The podiatrists at ACT Podiatry have extensive experience in treating ingrown toenails at their clinic. We work with very young children to the very elderly; alongside athletes and patients with coexisting complex medial conditions.

Acute ingrown toenails usually respond well to a short course of treatment (usually a single treatment) designed to remove the irritating section of nail. If the area is very painful, a local anaesthetic may be used. Antibiotics may be prescribed in some cases, although often a mild infection will resolve following removal of the ingrown nail piece and appropriate aftercare.
Chronic cases, or cases which recur regularly, may benefit from surgery to permanently narrow the ingrown nails. Performed in our rooms under local anaesthetic, phenol is applied to the nail matrix (roots) to prevent regrowth. All our podiatrists are experienced in this procedure, which has excellent success rates and high patient satisfaction.

Alternatively, a Sharps procedure may be recommended. These procedures involve nail surgery, the surgical removal of the nail matrix, rather than chemical cautery. As Canberra’s only Podiatric Surgeon, Dr Clayton Clews performs these procedures at Barton Private Hospital. They are performed under a light general anaesthesia.

For people who have needle phobia, or are otherwise anxious about treatment, a couple of options are available. We may recommend a single dose sedative to calm your nerves prior to treatment. For severe phobias, treatment can be performed at Barton Private Hospital under general anaesthesia.

Home treatment options are possible too but must be treated with care

If you think you have an ingrown toenail, the offending ingrown nails must be removed as soon as possible. If you are attempting this at home, you should take care to minimise infection risk by using clean nail clippers and finishing with an appropriate antiseptic. Daily salt water baths are also recommended until the wound has dried out. However, we recommend seeking a professional podiatrist for treatment. Left untreated, or if not treated appropriately, pain and infection will worsen as the nail continues to grow into the flesh.