No More Nail? Here’s How to Care for Your Toe
Summer is sandal-time. You see them everywhere this season. Children, adults, residents, tourists—so many people walking around Metairie and New Orleans are just hoping to keep their feet cool. Sandals are not the most protective types of footwear, of course, since they leave your toes open to the environment. For most people with healthy feet, this isn’t a big concern. If you’ve had an ingrown toenail removal, though, an exposed digit isn’t safe. To avoid complications after a nail removal, you have to know how to protect and take care of your digit.
People have a minor procedure to remove an ingrown nail when the toenail is too deeply embedded in your digit to be affected by conservative methods. It’s the fastest and most effective way to eliminate your pain and correct the problem. The procedure does leave that toe exposed, however, which increases your risk for infection and other secondary problems if you don’t care for it.
Here are a few vital things you need to do for your toe after an ingrown nail removal:
Apply medication – We may give you anti-bacterial creams or ointments to apply directly to your toe. If so, make sure you follow all the application directions and treat your digit every day.
Limit your activities – Take a break from strenuous activities that might hurt your feet. Keep off your foot for a short amount of time, and stick to only mild activities for the duration of your recovery.
Keep the wound covered – Most of the time your toe should be covered by a clean bandage. Make sure you keep it covered and change the bandage only when you’re supposed to.
Wear loose-fitting but protective shoes – You should wear shoes to protect your toe, but you don’t want your footwear to pinch it. Stick to styles with wide, deep, loose-fitting toe boxes.
Remember to always watch your foot for changes or signs of infection. Infections need to be dealt with right away so they can’t spread. Our team at Gulf South Foot & Ankle, LLC will cover all of these after-care instructions with you if you need to have your ingrown nail removed in our office. If you ever have any questions about your feet after a procedure, or you’re concerned about your feet in general, let us know. Reach out to us through our website, or call (504) 708-4810.