Nail Care & Debridement

Nail care and debridement is a foundational but critically important podiatric service - particularly for patients with diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, or immune compromise, where a minor nail problem can become a serious limb-threatening issue if left unmanaged. Professional nail debridement involves the careful trimming, filing, and thinning of thickened, curved, or fungal nails that have become too difficult or painful to manage at home. Ingrown toenail treatment addresses the portion of nail plate that has grown into the surrounding soft tissue (nail fold), causing pain, swelling, and infection. Dr. Golan offers both conservative ingrown nail care (careful nail trimming and edge relief) and minor in-office procedures (partial nail avulsion with or without permanent matrixectomy) to prevent recurrence. Routine professional nail care is an essential preventative service for high-risk patients.

For routine nail debridement, no anesthesia is needed - the procedure involves professional trimming and thinning of nails using medical-grade instruments, and takes 15-30 minutes. For ingrown nail treatment, a local anesthetic is injected at the base of the toe for complete comfort. The offending nail border is then gently removed. If a permanent procedure (matrixectomy) is chosen to prevent recurrence, a small amount of chemical is applied to the nail root to prevent regrowth of the ingrown edge. A dressing is applied and you walk out of the office immediately. Daily soaks and redressing at home are required for 2-3 weeks during healing.