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Ingrowing Toenails:

An ingrowing toenail can occur when the corner or side of your nail starts to grow into the soft flesh. It will likely be very painful, red, and swollen and may become infected with puss. It is usually the big toe that is affected by an ingrowing toenail. Ingrowing toenails can occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from inappropriate footwear to genetics. It may be possible to treat an ingrowing toenail at home, but if it becomes painful and infected, it should be seen by a podiatrist who will recommend the best course of treatment to relieve the pain and promote healing. Nail Surgery is often the best solution for recurrent ingrowing toenails.

Deformed or Thickened Toenails:

Deformed or thickened toenails can develop due to trauma or injury, including certain sports which involve a lot of toe impact (e.g. football, running, rambling), and ill-fitting shoes. A fungal infection of the nail can also be a cause of thickened nails. A mere fraction of an extra millimetre thickness in nails can put excessive pressure on the nail bed. This can cause soreness, sometimes a tissue breakdown under the nail, and then ulcerations. When nails are damaged or deformed, the nail can cut into the skin or leave the nail bed exposed and sore – which raises the risk of infection.  Podiatry treatment for this type of nail problem varies depending on how badly damaged the nail is. Nail surgery can be a good solution, if other interventions are unsuccessful.

On the day you have the procedure, you can carry on your daily routine as normal, including eating and drinking and taking any medications (unless you are told not to). But you should try to take it easy after the procedure, and try and put your feet up for the rest of the day.  The toe is anaesthetised with a local anaesthetic which is applied at the base of the toe. This is the only part of the procedure which can be painful, but it is no worse than an ordinary injection.

When the toe is completely numb we will apply an antiseptic solution to your toe to minimise the chance of any infection. The offending nail or piece of nail will then be removed. A chemical solution (phenol) is then applied to stop the nail from regrowing. We will then apply a protective dressing, and the procedure is complete. It should not take any longer than one hour for one toe. We will arrange a follow-up appointment with you so the podiatrist can assess and re-dress the toe.

Nail Surgery costs £299 for one toe and £149 for each additional toe. This is a complete package price which includes your initial assessment, the treatment, anaesthetic, dressings, and a follow-up appointment.

It’s perfectly understandable to be concerned about how painful nail surgery might be. In truth though, the only part of the procedure which can be a bit painful is the injection used to administer the anaesthetic – somewhat similar to the one you may have when you visit the dentist. After the anaesthetic, the toe is numb so you will not experience any pain while the nail is removed. After the procedure, when the anaesthetic wears off, the toe will be cushioned in a protective dressing. It may feel a little tender but should not be painful. But even if you have some anxiety, rest assured we can cater for your needs.

It takes approximately 4-6 weeks to completely recover from toenail surgery.  You can continue with your normal activities and routine, but try and avoid anything that may irritate the toe until it is healed. You will need to visit us for a follow-up appointment to check the toe and reapply a dressing. Regular dressing of the toe is also required by the patient. We are always on hand if you have any concerns after the operation.