Common Foot Problems

Ingrown Toenails Treatment

An ingrown toenail is a common condition that involves the corner of the toenail growing into the skin of the toe, causing pain, swelling and infection. This can occur as a result of wearing shoes that are too small or tight, cutting the toenails too short, injury to the toenail or a naturally curved toenail. While this condition can affect any toe, it most commonly affects the big toe. If left untreated, an ingrown toenail is likely to develop an infection and may even require surgery to remove the nail.

Most ingrown toenails can be treated at home by soaking the foot in warm water, applying antibiotic cream to the area and wrapping the toe in gauze or bandages. It is important to keep the area clean to help prevent infection. Your doctor may also place a piece of cotton under the nail to separate it from the skin that it is growing into, encouraging growth above the edge of the skin. For more severe or recurrent cases, part of the nail and the underlying tissue may be removed in order to remove the infection. Removal can be done through a chemical, laser or other methods.

Patients can prevent ingrown toenails by protecting the foot from trauma and by wearing comfortable, well-fitting shoes. Patients with diabetes may be at a higher risk for infection or other complications of ingrown toenails, and should take special precautions to prevent them from occurring.

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Toenail Fungus Treatment

Toenail fungus infection, also known as onychomycosis, is a common condition among people of all ages. These infections are caused by certain bacteria that may be a result of genetics, aging, trauma or poor foot care. They may also be related to diabetes.

Symptoms of a toenail fungus infection vary depending on the type of infection, but are usually mild. The nail usually becomes thick, brittle, discolored and sometimes splits. Treatment is usually sought for cosmetic purposes, but an untreated infection can worsen and eventually lead to difficulty wearing shoes and walking.

Toenail infections affect an estimated 40 million people in the US. Despite how common they are, completely effective treatment is hard to accomplish. Many doctors provide patients with topical or oral medications that can take months to work and have a high rate of recurrence, while surgery to remove the nail does not treat the underlying infection. Fortunately, patients do not have to undergo these traditional treatment methods any longer, and can benefit from the PinPointe™ FootLaser™ from PathoLase, which is proven to be up to 88% more effective than other available treatments.

Using the PathoLase PinPointe™ FootLaser™, patients can experience immediate results from a simple procedure with no pain and no side effects. The PathoLase laser kills the pathogens that cause toenail fungus, which not only treats existing infections, but also helps to prevent them in the future. The PinPointe laser targets the infection without damaging the nail or surrounding skin. This procedure takes less than 30 minutes to perform with no anesthesia required and no associated downtime.

To learn more about our Foot Procedures and to find out if it is right for you, please call 212-957-9040 today to schedule a consultation.