Nail surgery for ingrown toenails
Toenail surgery is a minor procedure where a podiatrist will remove all or part of a problem toenail. It’s usually delivered under local anaesthetic.
An ingrowing toenail is a common foot and nail problem, often caused by badly fitting shoes, picking your nails, or cutting your nails incorrectly.
If you have a persistent and painful ingrown toenail causing toe nail issues, we can help treat your problem with a permanent solution, where other treatment methods haven’t worked for you.
Our aim with nail surgery is to completely remove the problem of your ingrown toenail so you can be pain free. In some cases, this can involve reconstructing the toe nail.
What happens during nail surgery?
Your podiatrist will use local anaesthetic to numb the affected toe or toes.
Often, as part of the surgery, we apply a chemical called phenol to the exposed nail bed, once the problem toenail (or section of nail) has been removed. This is used to prevent the toenail from growing back again and causing further problems.
What else can toenail surgery help with?
Nail surgery may also work for fungal nail infection (onychomycosis), or toenails that are involuted (shaped like a pincer). This is when nails curve and press down the sides of your toe.
Involuted nails can be painful as the nail may dig into the skin and can often lead to an ingrown toenail.
Preparing for nail surgery
We schedule an initial assessment for all patients who have an ingrown toenail or who want to explore the option of nail surgery.
Our team will assess your toenail, review your medical history, and answer any questions you might have before having nail surgery.
We will ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any post-surgery aftercare needed.