Antibiotics Haven't Fixed Your Ingrown Toenail?
by Admin
If you've finished a course of antibiotics and your ingrown toenail is still painful, you're not alone. Antibiotics treat the infection — not the underlying cause.
An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of the nail digs into the surrounding skin. Bacteria can colonise the wound and cause infection, but the structural problem itself remains until the nail edge is addressed.
Why Antibiotics Aren't Enough
Antibiotics clear the infection, but if the nail edge is still pressing into the skin, the wound will recur. Lasting resolution requires addressing the nail itself.
Conservative Treatment
For early or mild cases, careful trimming and edge release by a podiatrist is often enough. Combined with footwear and nail-care education, this can prevent recurrence.
Surgical Options
For recurrent or severe cases, a minor in-clinic procedure under local anaesthetic permanently removes the offending nail edge. Most patients walk in and out the same day.