# Ingrown toenails, and the removal thereof. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503 "2003-08-02T04:46:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/21 "2003-08-03T03:03:37Z")
I couldn’t have predicted this, but this thread is making me feel faint. I think I could watch a baby being born with no problem, but the thought of toenail surgery is about to send me into a faceplant on my hardwood floor. Ergh. I do love infections, though. The more pus the better. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/22 "2003-08-03T03:15:07Z")
I had one quack unsuccessfully remove the nail with no pain-killer while I was in college. The jerk kept telling me that I was just being a baby and that it did not hurt that much (proving that not only was he an asshole, he had never had it done to himself). When his flubbed job came back to haunt me in my early 20s, the next doctor took the time to fill my toe with novocaine (or something) that wound up hurting more than the extraction. He was surprised that I could feel _anything_ after the stuff he had injected, (he started with a medium sized syringe and when I could still tell him where he was touching the toe while he blocked my vision, he got a second syringe that was huge). On the other hand, since he was _trying_ to do it right and was paying attention to what I told him, I put up with the aggravation of the actual surgery. In both cases, once the surgery was done, I did not suffer for days and days–probably a bit sore for a day, but nothing like what it had been before the operation. (In each case, my toe was swollen and infected before the operation.) The first attempt was the most pain I have ever felt in my life. I have a hard time watching movies where they _talk_ about bamboo under the nails. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/23 "2003-08-03T04:17:56Z")
I had both big toes done several times when I was a kid, with general anaesthetic every time. After having each foot done two or three times, the doctor killed the sides of the root on both. I have a little spur of nail angling up on one, but it’s no problem as long as I keep it trimmed. I don’t recall any significant pain after any of the surgeries. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/24 "2003-08-04T00:56:44Z")
M’kay, I’m getting a little concerned. How long is this weepy-pus-through-the-bandages-to-my-socks stage supposed to last? Peeling them off my nail bed really oogs me out. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![abba21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abba21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abba21)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/25 "2004-01-09T20:16:57Z")
My index toenail fell off for no good reason about 10 years ago. Now it grows kind of _slanted_ and very slowly. I probably have to cut it about twice a year. ---
**Author:** ![abba21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f4b2a3/32.png) [@abba21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abba21)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503/26 "2004-01-09T20:30:46Z")
Oops, didn’t mean to bump a dead thread! Hope your tonenail is all better, **chique**! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingrown-toenails-and-the-removal-thereof/192503.md?page=1)