Ingrowing toe nails are caused by the nail being too curved or wide. This can cause pain down the side of the nail. In some cases the nail can puncture the skin causing an infection. Antibiotics will reduce the pain but the infection will return if the piece of nail pushing into the skin is not removed.
Sometimes simply removing the nail section will resolve the condition but often a permanent sotution is required.
The toe is made numb by local anaesthetic injection and the side of the nail is removed and treated to prevent it regrowing, The nail will be permanently slightly narrower.
The opertion is painless and most patients have no pain after the surgery.