Afraid of the treatment? You are not alone — and you stay in control.
Many people put off treating an ingrown toenail for a long time — out of fear of pain, of the injection or of the treatment itself. That is understandable. At our specialist practice in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, our team takes this fear seriously and does much to make the treatment as gentle, calm and controllable as possible for you.
Your fear is understandable — and welcome to be spoken about
Fear of a medical treatment is not a weakness. It often arises from earlier experiences, from uncertainty or simply from not knowing what exactly will happen. Precisely for this reason, an open conversation is so important: the more you know, the more manageable the whole thing usually becomes.
What an ingrown toenail actually is and how it is treated is explained calmly in our glossary of key terms. If you would first like to know how the treatment proceeds, the page on how the treatment proceeds will help.
What we do to reduce your fear
- numbing cream (e.g. EMLA) before the injection, where sensible
- a calm explanation — every step is announced beforehand
- an agreed stop signal at which we pause immediately
- an accompanying person by your side
- as many breaks as you need — no time pressure
- the option to look away, close your eyes or take deep breaths
You keep control at all times
Nothing happens over your head. You determine the pace, you may ask questions at any time and you may pause at any time. This sense of control is, for many anxious patients, the decisive factor that makes the treatment possible in the first place.
And: you do not have to decide anything on the same day. You are welcome to come first for a calm conversation and take your time.
Why waiting often makes it harder
It is understandable to postpone the topic. Yet an ingrown toenail can usually be treated more easily at an early stage than in an advanced state with pronounced inflammation and "proud flesh". Taking the step early therefore often means: a smaller treatment, less pain and a faster return to everyday life.
An honest classification
We do not promise you a completely fear-free experience — that would not be honest. But we can promise that we take your fear seriously, explain everything and give you control. For many patients, that is exactly what makes the difference.