Neither oral nor topical antibiotics before or after treatment improve outcomes.
Postoperative use of antibiotics, manuka honey, paraffin-embedded povidone iodine, paraffin-embedded hydrogels, or paraffin gauzes does not improve infection rates, pain, or time to healing.
After removal of the ingrown nail and matrixectomy, any localized inflammation and/or infection should resolve without the need for antibiotics with similar healing times. Therefore, oral or topical antibiotic treatment is not recommended unless clear, diffuse cellulitis is present.