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Original poster

Does this toe need some intervention?! (Gross pic included)

27 replies

MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:30

For many complicated reasons my teenage son is currently without a GP. He's had an in grown toenail for about a month, getting more and more nasty looking. Been trying to sort a GP for him but in the meantime consulted with the pharmacist and followed their advice, and last week dragged him to our local walk in centre. The nurse there had a look (picture 1) and said just keep bathing it and leave it alone. Today it looks like picture 2 (and yes it has dog hairs on it 🤢 don't ask. He's been at his fathers.) but I can't help thinking it needs something more! It looks hideous! Should I leave him alone about it or get a second opinion??

OP posts:
loudbatperson · 09/12/2022 17:32

That looks infected to me. Needs a proper clean and possibly antibiotics. I would have another trip to the walk in.

IToldYouAmillionTimesAlready · 09/12/2022 17:33

It looks manky and must be painful. If you can't get to a walk-in centre, put Sudocrem on it and a big plaster.

DolphinWars · 09/12/2022 17:34

Definitely get it seen. It looks so sore!

I had a manky toe a few months ago - I was given antibiotics and was advised to soak it in hot water as often as I could.

isthewashingdryyet · 09/12/2022 17:39

Can you see a private podiatrist? They will sort it no time

endofthelinefinally · 09/12/2022 17:40

That definitely needs attention. Is there any smell coming from it? Any discharge? Pus? I don't know what you have been bathing it with, but it appears to be getting worse, just from looking at the photos.
Options:
Register as a temporary resident with your own GP and ask to see the nurse practitioner.
Find a podiatrist to look at it and advise.
Walk in centre again.
Private GP.
Good luck.

Isanyholeagoal · 09/12/2022 17:42

This won’t get better until the ingrown nail is removed. He needs to see a chiropodist asap

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/12/2022 17:42

He needs a Podiatrist
That lump of red tissue is hypergranulation tissue , there will be a nail spike in there and his body is trying to repair itself but cannot due to the irritant nail, o it goes into overdrive .

Salt in some boiling water , enough to be cloudy , cool to body temp (not hot) and bathe 10 minutes . Do this a couple of times a day
Sterile non fluffy gauze , secure with micropore but not over the wound .

Dog hair is an infection risk (any animal hair carries bacteria)

If the redness spreads he'll need antibitics but until the nail is taken out of that side it won't improve

Original poster
MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:48

Thank you all. I'm so frustrated, I've been trying so hard to get him seen and sorted. My exh and I share custody and he was registered at exh's practice but he got removed and hasn't registered anywhere else. My practice won't register him - other local practice to me won't take him as they say my practice should take him 🙈. DS has autism and so his hygiene and self care needs constant supervision and XH just will not do it. It makes me rage. I've been pushing and pushing and now am labelled a nag and last weeks walk in trip and then saying it's fine has just cemented to DS that he can ignore it

OP posts:
Original poster
MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:49

Sorry none of you needed to know that. I just wanted to defend myself to strangers on the internet that I'm not a totally useless parent Blush

OP posts:
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 09/12/2022 17:51

When DD had manky feet podiatrist also said to soak in TCP in as-hot-as-you-can-stand water.

Original poster
MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:51

endofthelinefinally · 09/12/2022 17:40

That definitely needs attention. Is there any smell coming from it? Any discharge? Pus? I don't know what you have been bathing it with, but it appears to be getting worse, just from looking at the photos.
Options:
Register as a temporary resident with your own GP and ask to see the nurse practitioner.
Find a podiatrist to look at it and advise.
Walk in centre again.
Private GP.
Good luck.

No smell or pjs

OP posts:
Original poster
MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:52

We've tried salt water and then we tried TCP. I'm not sure how much he's kept on top of the bathing at his Dads

OP posts:
Madamecastafiore · 09/12/2022 17:53

Hydrogen peroxide solution you can buy it cheaply at the chemist (mix 1:5 with warm water) and soak his toe in it. Will oxidise the bacteria , is completely painless and is far more effective than salty water. Fizzing is a sign that the bacteria is being killed off.

I'm so sorry for both you and your son, your ex is a negligent arsehole to let a child get into this state. I hope you can get it cleared up quickly,

InSummertime · 09/12/2022 17:55

Are you at a Gp phone the practice manager and explain a vulnerable child does not have a gp

or contact you local nhs trust

Cornelious · 09/12/2022 17:56

That looks and will be soo sore! I experienced I grown toenails for years and some ended up like this. Ended up in A&E as a child and they froze my toe and took 3/4 of my toenail off. Your dc will need anti biotics.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/12/2022 17:58

Ah , but you are doing something though Mad

I'll bet the farm your DS has been picking at that nail !

Going via the GP for a Podiatry referall is a long process depending on your health CCG
Can you phone around some private podiatrists .
Look for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)- registered

If you explain, they should be able to do a quick tidy up of the nail (either with or without analgesia /injection) to let it settle then he might need a partial nail avulsion (pna) with phenol to stop the side regrowing .

Send your ex the bill

Pjmaskmummy · 09/12/2022 17:58

As someone who works in this sort of area it's beyond salvaging apart from getting part of the nail removed which I know is rarely done on the nhs anymore. A chiropodist will sort it for you swiftly but that's obviously at a cost. If he gets redness moving up towards his foot, a temperature/feelings of unwell or thick smelly discharge at the site he'll need anti-biotics. I sympathise massively as I had it when I was a teen and hated feet so didn't get it looked at until it was at this point too.

endofthelinefinally · 09/12/2022 17:59

I agree with pp saying toenail needs to be removed/partially removed. That will never heal as long as it is still growing into his toe. Do his shoes fit properly?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/12/2022 18:02

MadMadamMim123 · 09/12/2022 17:52

We've tried salt water and then we tried TCP. I'm not sure how much he's kept on top of the bathing at his Dads

TCP can burn , stick to salted water

hydrogen peroxide does fizz but it can damage fragile tissue

If you want an antiseptic there are Povidine Iodine dressings or a dry spray (if no allergy to iodine )

isthewashingdryyet · 09/12/2022 18:05

A podiatrist will be able to visit you at home tomorrow

legalseagull · 09/12/2022 19:25

I had so many toes just like this as a teen. Honestly, about 10 or 11 removed. That need antibiotics and to be removed. There's no point soaking it if it isn't going to be removed - it's growing in and will keep doing so until it's removed. If you can afford a private appointment they will sort it easily

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/12/2022 19:35

Soaking in the salt water is to keep it clean and protect the wound , in the short term.
But it does need looking at by a Podiatrist , it isn't going to improve on its own.

OtterInABox · 09/12/2022 22:13

You need to pay privately and get it removed.

ooohaaaahjustalittlebit · 09/12/2022 22:24

We paid for my DS to have a private podiatrist come out to the house to help sort his ingrown toenail and she was able to refer him to the NHS for toenail surgery. We didn't go ahead in the end because his toenail improved so much after treatment. Might be worth investigating, think it cost around £50

BlackInk · 10/12/2022 13:58

My 13 year old DS has just had his ingrown big toenail removed on the NHS. GP Referred him after 2 back-to-back courses of antibiotics and daily soaking didn’t help. We waited about 6 months for the appointment. Recovery is looong, 8 weeks minimum of daily soaking/dressing and no sport!