Hello doctor, I have an ingrown toenail and it has got infected. I suffer from a lot of pain while wearing shoes. I have this pea-sized bubble like thing which bleeds on the side of my toenail. I have attached a picture of my toenail. It is a swelling, and I wonder what can I do to take it away, other than surgery?
Hello.I have seen your clinical picture and gone through your query (attachment removed to protect patient identity). I would strongly advise you to undergo a partial nail excision, debridement and daily dressing of the wound until it shows healthy granulation tissue. It is because unless you remove the offending portion of the nail, the wound will not settle down. I would rather call it a procedure rather than a surgery, which can be done with local anesthesia (ring block) and in OPD procedure room. Other than surgery, just the debridement and daily dressings can be tried, but once again I would like to tell you that unless the portion of the nail which is curved inside and impinging the skin is excised, this wound may not settle down. Also, a broad spectrum antibiotic will be required until the wound heals satisfactorily.