Daughter had flies eggs in her ingrowing toenail

[Loveatthefiveanddime]

That's it. She is 18 and has refused to have the toenails dealt with properly. They have been persistent for a couple of years on her big toes - both sides. Frequently they bled and we have been on and on at her, as they usually look foul.
Anyway, today she saw some little white grains on the toes and after taking a pic to blow the image up, we could see they were flies eggs!! I cannot get over the image in my mind.
I scraped them off and we soaked her feet in water with disinfectant. I can't help worrying that I didn't get them all out.
Obviously she is now going to go to the Dr about them.

Is this too grim a picture for Sporners corner?

Umm back off. You do know that 2 years ago we were in the middle of lockdown 1 where people dying of cancer were having their treatment cancelled and being left to sucumb to a devstating disease. Do you really think the NHS would prioritise an ingrown toenail when they were letting cancer sufferers die.

It's not that the issue of the eggs it's what it cab turn into. Unless it's sorted it can turn into sepis an that's whole different story. Something minor can go into major.

I work for NHS and we wouldn't let that go purely because what it can turn into. Also we haven't let anyone die from not getting their cancer treatment. Not where I am. Cancer has been a priority.

If you know of any cases then please speak to your hospital or get advice from the CCG.

My husband was the same he had an ingrown toenail for a year I swear it was going on possibly 2! Eventually got the nail off, he would not stop picking at it, drove me mad, the smell was terrible too. Would you consider asking for a diabetes test? If it’s taking that long to heal it’s a possibility?? I think husband is diabetic but I can’t get him to get bloods done

That’s pretty disgusting!! There is something not right going on here 🤮

Wow. I'm not easily shocked and have had a full (big toe) nail avulsion.
Mine failed - I know have a nail (nails?) That grow from both corners and meet in the middle. They end up getting caught on something and ripped off, but I cannot afford another podiatry appointment - so...

Gosh that toe looks like it's rotting, probably why it attracted a fly. I wouldn't wait, not sure why anybody would.

There's sporners corner and then there is downright danger to health.

My friend had a bad ingrowing toenail. The GP saw it and said it was serious and within a week they had been for a minor OP and had them layered on both feet, which required returning after 24 hours for further treatment and feet keeeping dry for 6 weeks. They thought it was very serious.

Some of these things which start off as minor and are just ignored can become very unpleasant.

Don't beat yourself up OP, you can't make someone that age do anything they don't want to. I've done nail surgery on much worse nails that that but maggots are a first I have to say. My DS was impossible at that age.
Its still quite possible to do a partial nail avulsion - i.e remove both sides not the whole nail - its not got beyond that. And the whole procedure is painless I've had it done to three of my nails.

Oh that looks so painful, my son used to suffer from recurring ingrown toenail which would get infected badly very quickly (thankfully no maggots). Nothing we did worked.We went to the chiropodist a lot and doctors. Eventually he needed to have an operation to stop it reoccurring. I hope your daughter gets it sorted soon, it must hurt her a lot to walk.

I'm surprised at the level of criticism, sheer unkindness and meaness of some of the posts!! Trying to shame OP does not help her or her DD in anyway! I imagine as PP said, she's not in a hurry to come back to this thread and might have ended up missing some really helpful advice. We need to do better at encouraging and building each other up!!

That’s absolutely disgusting. She obviously never soaks her feet in hot soapy water.

Her sheets must be a joy to behold. 🤮

Was all of her shoes and trainers out with Disinfectant. (Put them in the washing machine if you can.)

I have had mine done it's really fine. Plus you dont loose the whole nail anymore, they just take the sides off and kill the bed in the corners.

I think you should be worrying about sepsis there. I hope your poor dd agrees to getting proper medical help asap.

If you've never had ingrown toenails you just dont get it. How do you clean a nail that is growing into your flesh, its bloody painful and the only way to handle it is to soak In Detol or likewise but you can't clean down the sides cos it hurts too much. I sliced my nail down the sides and ripped it from the bed, I have pulled my own nail off, several times. I eventually got them done professionally

Can you all stop with the telling this poor young woman she is filthy , rotten and her mother is neglectful?

I have been an NHS Podiatrist for 34 years so Ive probably seen more feet than many of you have had hot dinners .
I am NOT Going to comment on this individual case except to say I hope this young lady has accessed help.

And the dark area you see at the edge of the nail is where the exudate dries and forms an escar .
If that is removed you will find a red, vascular lump of granulation tissue . Under that will be the nail which is probably very uneven and split . As it grows it irritates the already irritated tissue , so until that nail is removed it cannot resolve.
Silver Nitrate can shrink it but it;ll only be a part remedy until the nail is cleared

The level of infection is hard to gauge from a photo , it's not the best picture .
Yes there is a risk of infection. Yes there is a risk of the spread of infection. Yes there is a risk of bone infection. Yes there is a risk of sepsis , amputation and worse .
That is for the person who sees this patient Face to Face to decide .

Putting all this *OMG that 's revolting^ isn't the wat to get someone to get help . Scaring the Holy Shit out of someone rather than constructive help isn't the way forward .

FTR , I have never seen rogue maggots in a foot wound . ( only the Lab Sterile ones )
Podiatrists do tend to insist on covering wounds with an air permeable dressing rather than "letting the air get to it"
Mainly to protect and absorb any exudate and stop dirt , hair , sock fluff etc,

I am leaving this thread now , it has become a proper pile on.
I haven't much interest in Sporn so I;ll bid you all adieu

Wow! So many keyboard warriors on here that just don’t understand legalities in medicine. Once a ‘child’ is 16 they are no longer medically classed as a minor, in that they no longer need parental or guardian accompaniment to appointments-and even under 16, if they are classed as Gillick Competent (Google it if you don’t know what it is) then you CANNOT force them to seek medical care. It comes under the banner of abuse if you do.
So stop judging the OP, she cannot force her daughter to do anything by the age of 18, but hopefully what has happened today will be the wake up call that the poor girl needs.
Flies and maggot larvae aside OP, is the pain not enough to convince your daughter to seek treatment? That looks like agony!
My 15 year daughter gets ingrown toenails or paronychia from time to time-luckily only mild so a quick snip of the nail at the sides and lashings of germolene sorts her out for often a year or so. But even mildly she’s in agony with it until I snip the edge of the nail away.

I’m a HCP, I assess wounds and I would be very worried about sepsis and/or the infection spreading to the bone. Her toe is swollen and turning grey and black, there’s clearly necrosis there as maggots only eat dead tissue. The maggots are not the same as the ones used medically as they and the fly that laid them are not sterile and they can spread diseases and infections. She needs to go to A&E.

Well said @70isaLimitNotaTarget

Jesus. That is grim. And I love a good sporner. GP appointment tomorrow. On our surgery website you fill out a short form, and can attach a photo!

You don't watch The Toe Bro then? I've watched so many I could perform the procedure myself ,no complete nail removal🤣

I think people are forgetting that this was posted in Sporners' Corner and not the health boards... In SC, you're invited to judge! Why else did the op post here?

Omg so maggots then really? Poor girl ! Hope she gets it sorted asap !

Honestly looks like she's got gangrene to me OP. I'd get her to a walk in centre/A&E asap. She could genuinely lose her toe or worse if left.

Maybe I should go then. Last time I went, late 90's, he wanted to fully remove both nails on my big toes. Was shocked by what he saw. I cancelled out of fear really. Both are ingrowing both sides but every fortnight I dig them out with sharp scissors and trim them. They get pus in them and hurt but haven't been back since.

Got these for my husband, they work great, he hasn’t had a recurrence since he started using them, I’d recommend them.

Abbaloverandmum I had mine finally sorted under general anaesthetic they removed side of each big toe nail and put something on top stop growing back. My nails look normal, if I have pedicure they can’t tell. One tiny spur of nail on one side grows back and I just pull it out. After a few years of ineffectual treatment it sorted me once and for all.