A strange case of ingrown toenail treated with phenol.

We experienced a strange case of ingrown toenail, which had developed as a huge mass and enveloped the nail of the left first toe. The patient had self-treated his ingrown toenail for a period of one year with an ointment available over the counter. However, the granulation tissue on both sides of the nail had increased gradually and advanced over the nail plate in the medial direction. Finally, the granulation tissue on both sides had adhered to the nail and epithelial cells advanced over the granulation tissue completely. During surgery, the epithelized granulation tissue was excised at the bilateral terminal base point, and the posterior nail fold and the nail matrix were cauterized completely with phenol. Eighteen months after the operation there was no recurrence of the ingrown toenail.