Background:
Ingrown toenails can be treated using a variety of surgical and non-surgical techniques. The present study determined the efficacy of phenol application for the induction of chemical matricectomy using phenol over the course of a one-year follow-up.
Material and Methods:
A total of 70 patients underwent 99 phenol-induced toenail ablations for the treatment of stage 2-3 ingrown toenails. Patients were observed on a weekly basis until wound healing was complete and followed at regular intervals over the subsequent year to evaluate the long-term effects of phenol treatment.
Results:
Surgical healing time ranged from 2 weeks to one month. Recurrence was observed in only 3 cases (at 3, 5, and 10 months, respectively) over the one year period of observation. Remarkable cosmetic results were achieved and the rate of success was 96.9%
Conclusion:
Ingrown toenails can be effectively resolved by phenol cauterization, a simple procedure which is associated with a high success rate and low morbidity. It is technically simple and associated with low morbidity and a high success rate.
Keywords: Phenol, matrix cauterization, ingrown toenail