So, the corner of your toe is slightly red and kind of painful, you take a closer look and decide that you must have an ingrown toenail. But, this is nothing – you can handle this. The combination of nail trimmers and tweezers ought to do the trick. You take a seat and awkwardly try to get a good angle to begin your first day of being a bathroom surgeon. After your painful and awkward procedure, you find yourself in more pain, but at least you didn’t have to go to the doctor…yet. Days later the redness is taking over your toe, the pain hasn’t gotten better and the swelling caused from your bathroom surgery hasn’t improved. After being repeatedly nagged by (insert respective nagger here – wife, mother, boyfriend) you finally give in and call a podiatrist.
The day of your appointment arrives, and your now very painful toe is trying very hard to convince you that nobody should touch it for fear of even more pain. In the waiting room your heart rate increases with anticipation of what is to come. Your name is called and you hesitate to follow the medical assistant back to a room. She takes a brief history before letting you know that the doctor will be in shortly and she exits the room. Oh great, it’s about to begin… The doctor comes in with a friendly smile, but you see needles and scalpels and… it begins…
This is really where everything scary stops and your ingrown-free toe begins. The most uncomfortable part of the whole procedure is the numbing injection, after that it is a painless and quite quick procedure. You can usually leave the doctor’s office wearing the same shoes you came in with and a bandage on your toe. You will have to soak your foot daily for a week until your post operative visit. After just 2 visits you will be ingrown nail free and pain free!
Next time you’re considering beginning your career as a bathroom surgeon, think of how much easier it is to let people do things for you! Why would you awkwardly dig and pull causing serious pain when you can come in for a short visit, feel very little pain and be back to yourself in about a week?! Don’t hesitate to call (or email!)!!!
