Nail Care

Nail care

Conditions which affect the nails can be painful and unsightly. Podiatrists are experienced in providing advice about nail care and are able to treat the conditions that can affect the nails, for example:

Thick toenails are a common complaint in which thickening of the nail causes problems such as pain and discomfort,  problems in finding proper fitting footwear and in some cases ulceration under the nail plate. Nails can become thickened for many different reasons including;

• following injury i.e. dropping something heavy on the toe or 'stubbing' it against something
• fungal nail infection
• inappropriate or poorly fitting footwear
• due to certain medical conditions
• poor circulation
• due to aging

Thickened toenails are easily dealt with using a rotary nail drill. The podiatrist will advise you accordingly.

Ingrown toenail - An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of the toenail, usually the big toe, grows into the skin next to it. An ingrown toenail causes pain at the side of the toe along with swelling. It may become infected which can cause redness, increased swelling, and pain, warmth, and/or discharge.
Factors that increase a person's chance of developing an ingrown toenail include:

• improperly fitting shoes or socks
• abnormal toe shape
• damage to a nail
• cutting toenails too short
• very sweaty feet
• fungal infections
• health problems, like poor circulation