Hove Foot Clinic has been closed since lock down was announced on 23rd March to all but at risk patients (including people with diabetes, neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune conditions, peripheral arterial disease and the immuno-supressed), key workers or urgent cases where there is a risk of infection or ulceration. One patient we were delighted to treat was a junior doctor with a persistent ingrowing toe nail which had not responded to antibiotics.
A partial nail avulsion was performed under local anaesthetic to remove the problem side of the nail. A chemical called phenol was then applied to cauterise the nail bed and stop the nail growing back. It was pleasure to be to help get this doctor back on his feet and back to his vital work treating patients in A&E.
Ingrowing toenails can occur when a nail has been damaged or is deformed. The nail grows into the skin causing pain and sometimes leading to infection. In more severe cases, it can cause pus and bleeding. Ingrowing toenails most commonly affect the big toenail as in this case, but can affect the other toes too.
