Ingrown Toenail With Hypertrophic Skin Bridging
Karalikkattil T Ashique1, Puravoor Jayasree2, Feroze Kaliyadan3
1Amanza Skin Clinic, Perinthalmanna, Kerala, India.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology
|July 7, 2025
Summary
Ingrown toenails (IGTN) can present rarely, with the entire nail embedding in folds. Radiofrequency excision and chemical matricectomy effectively treated this rare ingrown toenail variant with minimal complications.
Area of Science:
- Podiatry
- Dermatology
- Surgical Innovation
Background:
- Onychocryptosis (ingrown toenail) is a common, painful condition.
- Often caused by improper nail trimming or nail fold hypertrophy.
- A rare variant involves the entire distal nail plate embedding in hypertrophic folds, creating a tunnel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a rare variant of onychocryptosis.
- To present a successful management strategy for this specific ingrown toenail presentation.
- To evaluate the efficacy of a combined surgical and chemical approach.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a patient with a rare ingrown toenail variant.
- Treatment involved radiofrequency excision of hypertrophic tissue.
- Followed by chemical matricectomy to prevent nail regrowth.
Main Results:
- Successful resolution of the ingrown toenail condition.
- The combined radiofrequency and chemical matricectomy approach was highly effective.
- Minimal complications were observed post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- A rare ingrown toenail variant, characterized by nail plate embedding in hypertrophic folds, can be effectively managed.
- Combined radiofrequency excision and chemical matricectomy offer excellent outcomes for this condition.
- This approach provides a viable, minimally invasive solution for complex ingrown toenails.
