Ingrown toenail treatment · Portland
Ingrown toenail? Most patients say the same thing afterward: “I wish I’d come in sooner.”
The dread of the fix is almost always worse than the fix itself. At Pearl Foot & Ankle in Portland, Dr. Zac Egidi treats ingrown toenails in the office, in minutes — the numbing pinch is measured in seconds, and you walk out the same day. Appointments are often available same-week.
★★★★★ 4.9 from 450+ reviews across our Pearl locations Board-Certified (ABFAS) OATH Surgery Center partner
Understanding the condition
Why ingrown toenails happen
An ingrown toenail happens when the edge of the nail — usually on the big toe — grows into the soft skin beside it. The skin becomes red, swollen, and increasingly tender; if the nail edge breaks the skin, bacteria can get in and the toe becomes infected. Common causes include trimming nails too short or rounding the corners, tight shoes that press the skin into the nail, a stubbed or injured toe, and simple inherited nail shape — some nails are just naturally curved and prone to it.
Mild, early cases sometimes settle with warm soaks and roomier shoes. But once the toe is throbbing, draining, or flaring up again and again, the nail edge itself is the problem — and no amount of soaking removes it.
Put down the clippers
Why bathroom surgery makes it worse
It’s tempting to dig the edge out yourself — nearly everyone tries. The trouble is that home “bathroom surgery” usually leaves a hidden spike of nail behind, and cutting a V-notch in the middle of the nail (an old internet favorite) doesn’t change how the edge grows at all. As the nail regrows, that leftover spike burrows deeper into already-inflamed skin — so each round hurts more than the last, and every unwashed clipper pass raises the infection risk. It’s how a two-week problem turns into a six-month cycle.
In the office, the difference is simple: the toe is fully numb, the entire offending nail edge is removed cleanly at its base, and the cycle stops. If you’ve been fighting the same toe for months, that’s the piece home treatment can’t do.
The honest walkthrough
Exactly what the visit feels like
For most people the scariest part is the unknown — especially the needle. So here’s the whole thing, sensation by sensation:
The numbing
One small injection at the base of the toe. It’s a pinch and a sting measured in seconds — most patients say it’s far milder than the pain that brought them in. Then the toe goes completely numb.
The procedure
With the toe numb, you feel pressure but no pain. Dr. Egidi removes the ingrown edge of the nail. Start to finish, the procedure itself typically takes a matter of minutes.
Walk out same day
A small dressing goes on and you walk out of the office on your own two feet the same day. Most people are back to normal shoes and routines quickly, with simple care at home.
Simple aftercare
Daily cleansing, a fresh bandage, and roomy shoes for a short stretch while the toe heals. We give you exact instructions — no guesswork.
That’s the whole event. The anticipation is nearly always worse than the appointment — which is why “I wish I’d come in sooner” is the thing patients say most.
If it keeps coming back
Partial removal vs. permanent correction (matrixectomy)
For a first-time ingrown nail, a partial nail avulsion — removing just the ingrown edge and leaving the rest of the nail intact — is usually all that’s needed. The nail still looks essentially normal as it heals.
For toes that get ingrown again and again, Dr. Egidi can perform a matrixectomy right here in the office: after the edge is removed, the small strip of nail root that produced it is treated so that edge doesn’t grow back. It adds only a few minutes to the same visit and is the standard way to break the recurrence cycle for good. In rare, severe cases a full nail removal is discussed — but that’s the exception, not the default, and you’ll always understand the “why” before anything is done.
Nail thick and discolored rather than painful at the edge? That’s usually a different problem — see our toenail fungus treatment page.
Don’t wait on these
When to come in promptly
- Redness that’s spreading beyond the toe, or red streaking up the foot
- Pus, drainage, or an odor from the nail edge
- Throbbing pain that keeps you up at night or makes shoes unbearable
- Fever or feeling unwell alongside the toe symptoms
- Any ingrown nail if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or numbness in your feet — small toe problems can become serious quickly and deserve prompt professional care
When in doubt, call — describing what you’re seeing takes two minutes, and we can often get you in the same week: (503) 284-2000.
Your surgical team
An experienced surgical team — with openings this week
Dr. Zac Egidi is a board-certified (ABFAS) foot & ankle surgeon with 8+ years in practice and hundreds of surgeries across the full scope of medical, surgical, and sports foot & ankle care. He was recruited to Portland to expand new-patient access, with open, same-week availability for Beaverton, Cedar Mill, Bethany, and the greater Portland area. An ingrown nail treated early is a minutes-long office visit; one that’s been dug at and infected for months is a harder road — so the fact that Dr. Egidi has openings this week, while many practices are booked out, matters. Pearl Foot & Ankle is an independent, board-certified practice with a 4.9★ reputation from patients who describe visits as thorough, unrushed, and clearly explained.
Zac Egidi, DPM
Board-Certified (ABFAS) Foot & Ankle Surgeon
- 8+ years in practice — hundreds of foot & ankle surgeries
- Full-scope medical, surgical & sports foot & ankle care
- Same-week new-patient availability
- Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine; surgical residency (chief resident), LECOM Health
Timothy Mineo, DPM, FACFAS
Founder · Dual Board-Certified (ABFAS)
- 1,500+ surgeries, including total ankle replacement
- Dual board-certified in foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot & ankle surgery
- Founded Pearl Foot & Ankle and leads its surgical team
- Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
One practice, one team: every treatment plan — from a first office visit through surgery at our partner facility, OATH Surgery Center — is backed by both surgeons’ combined experience.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Can I fix an ingrown toenail myself at home?
Very mild, early cases sometimes settle with warm water soaks and roomier shoes. But cutting or digging at the nail edge yourself usually leaves a spike behind that grows in deeper — making the next flare-up worse and raising the infection risk. If the toe is red, swollen, draining, or this keeps happening, the nail edge needs to be removed properly. It’s a quick office procedure: call (503) 284-2000.
Does ingrown toenail removal hurt?
The only uncomfortable moment is the numbing injection — a pinch and sting measured in seconds, which most patients say is milder than the pain they walked in with. After that, the toe is completely numb and you feel pressure but no pain during the procedure. Most patients’ honest reaction afterward: “I wish I’d done that months ago.”
Will my ingrown toenail grow back after removal?
After a simple partial removal, the same edge can grow back ingrown in some people. If your nail has become ingrown more than once, Dr. Egidi can perform a matrixectomy in the same office visit — treating the small strip of nail root so the problem edge doesn’t regrow. It’s the standard way to stop the repeat cycle.
How long is recovery after ingrown toenail treatment?
You walk out of the office the same day. Expect some soreness for a day or two once the numbing wears off, simple daily bandage care while the edge heals over the following weeks, and roomy shoes at first. Most people return to normal activities almost immediately, with only minor accommodations.
When is an ingrown toenail an emergency?
Come in promptly for spreading redness or red streaks up the foot, pus or drainage, fever, or throbbing pain that keeps you up at night. If you have diabetes, poor circulation, or numbness in your feet, any ingrown nail deserves prompt professional attention — don’t attempt home treatment. Call (503) 284-2000 and we’ll get you in quickly.
Do you take my insurance?
Yes — Pearl Foot & Ankle is in-network with 200+ insurance plans, including Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Providence, Moda Health, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, PacificSource, and Medicare & Medicare Advantage — and every Pearl provider, including Dr. Egidi, is credentialed with these plans. Verify your plan instantly on Zocdoc, or call (503) 284-2000 and we’ll confirm your benefits before your visit.
How soon can I be seen for an ingrown toenail?
Dr. Egidi often has same-week openings at our Portland office at 12672 NW Barnes Rd #100 — convenient to Beaverton, Cedar Mill, and Bethany. Many ingrown toenails can be evaluated and treated in a single visit. Call (503) 284-2000 or book online.
Same-week booking
Stop dreading it. It’s a minutes-long visit.
Book your visit online in real time through Zocdoc — pick the appointment slot that works for you, no phone tag. Prefer to talk to someone? Call us and we’re happy to help.
- New patients welcome
- Most insurance accepted
- Same-week appointments often available
- Beaverton · Cedar Mill · Bethany · Portland
Book a Same-Week Visit
See real-time openings and reserve your visit securely through Zocdoc, the practice’s online scheduler.
📅 Book Online with ZocdocPrefer to talk to someone?
📞 Call (503) 284-2000
Pearl Foot & Ankle · 12672 NW Barnes Rd #100, Portland, OR 97229 · (503) 284-2000
Mon–Fri 8–5 · Not an emergency service — for a medical emergency, call 911.
The information on this page is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice; it does not establish a doctor–patient relationship. Appointment availability varies and is not guaranteed. Individual results vary. For a medical emergency, call 911.