I had my one big toe operated on for ingrown toenails when I was a lot younger, it was bad enough that trying to let it grow out, the toe would swell up to literally half again it's normal size, and was purple...
So I went to the doctor, he surgically removed a decent sized "sliver" off the side that was growing in, and killed the bed so that sliver wouldn't grow back, still have a full toenail that doesn't hurt to walk anymore!