What is Nail Surgery?
Nail Surgery is a minor procedure that is carried out under a local anaesthetic. It is a very quick procedure to remove part of, or the whole of the toenail and generally you will be on your way home in less than one hour.
What should I bring to the appointment?
You should not drive following the surgery, we advise for you to arrange a lift to and from the clinic if at all possible. It is advised that you bring a pair of open toe shoes to your appointment. You will have a dressing on your toe and it may be uncomfortable to wear your usual show for the first few days.
What will happen at my appointment?
Before any procedure takes place, you will need to be asked to sign a nail surgery consent form. This confirms that you have been informed about the risks, benefits and possible alternatives to the nail surgery and you have given your permission for the treatment to go ahead. A local anaesthetic will be administered to the area which will leave the toe numb for a few hours. The technique used to remove the nail depends on how ingrown the nail is. Whether one or both sides are affected and whether or not there is an infection. Sometimes the Podiatrist will remove the whole nail, however, in some cases only a small section of the nail needs to be removed. The folds of skin alongside the nail may also need to be removed. To stop the nail re-growing a chemical is used to prevent the nail reforming and thus preventing further episodes of an ingrown nail. Partial nail surgery leaves the nail intact but it will be slightly narrower than it was before.
What will happen after the appointment?
Afterwards, your toe will be a little sore, but this should ease after a few days. We generally advise for you to rest for the first night and take painkillers if necessary. For your toe to heal completely, it can take between 4 and 6 weeks, but normal activities can resume very soon after the procedure. It is recommended that you keep relatively active. At Davenport House Clinic all of your dressing appointments are included in the cost of Nail Surgery, until your toe has healed. Re-dressings usually take about 15 minutes and should be done after 2 – 4 days and then weekly.
