Ingrown toenail after surgery treatment?

What happens if your toe gets worse after ingrown toenail surgery?

• I have had surgery on my ingrown toenail twice now. The first time I went to a regular physician and he supposedly removed it and it just kept getting worse so I finally had to get to a foot doctor and he said he was almost 100% percent sure that he got it all out and it should be a lot better within 48 hours. It has been a week now and it is even more infected than it was and the toenail is dead and trying to come off on that side and it hurts like there is no tomorrow. I am supposed to go back for a follow up appt. in two days, I just wonder if anyone has any idea what I may be doing wrong, cuz I dont think I can handle this again for the third time.Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

• Answer:

  Okay, 1st thing's 1st... what exactly do you mean when you say both your doctors say the nail is 'removed' while you describe the dead toe nail is hanging by it's side? Did they remove it or not? Here's what you do. You walk into the emergency room (A&E) and tell them your problem. The A&E doctor is supposed to prep you up there and then (depending on the number of patients), give you a local anaesthesia, clean up your toe (disinfect), and pull your toe nail out... right from it's nail bed! After which, he's supposed to show you what he pulled out, because it's hospital protocol. He will then clean your toe and rid it of any infected areas and debris and you can watch what he's doing (if you can stomach it) and see that he's doing a good job of it. The doctor may or may not wrap your wound, prescribe you a week's antibiotics and teach you how to keep the wound clean as well as tell you the follow up date (which you will do if you want to be sure you're clear of all infections!) I'm not kidding with any of this, because I do it all the time when I get the chance in my hospital. Make sure you finish your course of antibiotics. Keep your wound clean, apply Dettol or any antiseptic after every shower.