Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
What types of nail surgery are used for ingrown toenails?
Minor ingrown
toenails may require simply trimming back the protruding nail sliver or piece
away from the nail fold. More aggressive, debilitating cases may require a minor
surgical procedure called partial nail matricectomy. Surgery should be
considered as last resort after conservative local treatments have failed. Nail
surgery may cause permanent nail deformity, poor cosmetic appearance, and other
possible complications.
Matricectomy is the process of surgically, chemically, or electrically
destroying all or part of the base nail portion called the nail matrix. Complete
destruction of the nail matrix results in permanent loss of that portion of the
nail. Once the nail matrix is fully removed or destroyed, a new nail plate
cannot ever be regenerated. This surgical procedure is commonly curative for
recurrent cases of ingrown toenails. Often, only the lateral (side) 1/3 or 1/4
of the affected nail is removed in matricectomy. Much less commonly, both sides
of the nail matrix are removed (bilateral matricectomy) or the entire nail
matrix is removed (complete matricectomy).
Must I have surgery?
Surgical treatment is usually reserved for severe or
recurrent cases of ingrown toenails. Surgery is not commonly required in most
instances. If you keep getting an ingrown toenail, then a minor surgical
procedure may be helpful to prevent recurrences.
How can I prevent ingrown toenails from recurring?
Recurrent ingrown toenails may be preventable
by wearing wider-toe shoes and avoiding trauma and repeated injury to toenails.
Further measures include protecting toes during sports and avoiding curving or
overcutting toenails too short at the edges.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic condition characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. The two types of diabetes are referred to as type 1 (insulin dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin dependent). Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine output, thirst, hunger, and fatigue. Treatment of diabetes depends on the type.
Foot pain may be caused by injuries (sprains, strains, bruises, and fractures), diseases (diabetes, Hansen disease, and gout), viruses, fungi, and bacteria (plantar warts and athlete's foot), or even ingrown toenails. Pain and tenderness may be accompanied by joint looseness, swelling, weakness, discoloration, and loss of function. Minor foot pain can usually be treated with rest, ice, compression, and elevation and OTC medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Severe pain should be treated by a medical professional.
Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of
arthritis including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, lupus, gout,
and pseudogout.
Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process after injury. The depth and size of the wound incision and the location of the injury impact the scar's characteristics, but your age, heredity and even sex or ethnicity will affect how your skin reacts.
Diabetes-related foot problems can affect your health with two problems: diabetic neuropathy, where diabetes affects the nerves, and peripheral vascular disease, where diabetes affects the flow of blood. Common foot problems for people with diabetes include athlete's foot, fungal infection of nails, calluses, corns, blisters, bunions, dry skin, foot ulcers, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and plantar warts.
Teenagers recognize that they are developmentally between child and adult. Teen health prevention includes maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, preventing injuries and screening annually for potential health conditions that could adversely affect teenage health.
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