[Ingrown toenails-options for daily practice]

The ingrown toenail is a common, painful and inflammatory clinical presentation, especially, but not exclusively, in adolescent patients. Numerous conservative treatment methods are available. Usually, however, the surgical treatment is at the end of a chain of suffering. While classified as obsolete, the so-called Emmert plasty is still used for surgical treatment. As a gentle alternative, selective treatment of the lateral matrix horn by resection or phenol caustics is increasingly used. The latter methods offer numerous benefits with little postoperative pain and faster recovery to normal quality of life.