When talking about foot problems that are so horrible thing then you are talking about an ingrown toenail.  Aside from being painful that it could give it can also cause infections that may lead to possible complications if left untreated.  There is no other way to treat this problem but to remove the offending nail.  It can be removed conservatively, but as the shape of the nail is the same, there is no guarantee that the ingrown nail will not return. To have the offending piece of nail removed under a local anaesthetic is the other way. The piece of nail will grow back unless the growing area is somehow destroyed. There are several ways to do this ranging from excision to chemical (phenol) destruction. The most current way available is to burn the growing area with an electric current.  Negative Galvanic Current for Matrixectomy is being used with increasing frequency.