Nail Surgery for Ingrowing or Thickened Toenails
Nail surgery is the permanent removal of either part of, or all of, a toenail. Removal of part of a toenail is known as a Partial Nail Avulsion (PNA), and can be done on either one side or both sides of the nail. Removal of all of the toenail is known as a Total Nail Avulsion (TNA).
The toe is numbed with an anaesthetic prior to removal of the affected nail to ensure that the procedure is pain-free. This means that you won’t be able to drive yourself home from the procedure – you will need to either arrange a taxi or a lift home from the procedure. Our receptionists are happy to book a taxi for you if required, please let us know at the time of booking if you would like us to arrange a taxi for you.
Once the affected part of the nail has been removed, we apply a chemical called phenol to the base of the nail (known as the nail matrix) to stop the nail from growing back. The reason that we stop the nail from growing back is that if the nail grows back, it typically grows back exactly how it grew before. This means that the initial problem being treated would return once the nail has grown through, so the procedure would need to be repeated in a few months – whereas if we permanently remove the affected side(s), then the procedure is typically permanent, which means that you do not have to worry about an ingrowing toenail or thickened toenail on that toe again for the rest of your life!
We would always need to carry out an initial consultation prior to booking nail surgery, which would involve checking the blood flow and sensation of your feet, and discussing the risks, benefits, and all available treatment options with you. Following this, we are usually able to book nail surgery within 1-2 weeks with one of our experienced Podiatrists.
Prices start at £332 and can be discussed further with our clinicians upon assessment.
Questions & Answers
Nail surgery is the removal of a problematic nail, usually an ingrowing toenail. It is performed under local anaesthetic, so that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure.
It is essential to take the rest of the day off after the procedure is performed. It is advised to rest for a couple of days after the procedure, and to avoid contact sports and swimming until you have fully healed, however most activities can be done with little to no discomfort.
You usually won’t need antibiotics after nail surgery, but it is essential to keep the toe clean to prevent infection. If you do suspect infection at any time after it has been carried out, please see your clinician urgently.
Nail surgery is performed under local anaesthetic, to ensure that the procedure doesn’t hurt at all. The local anaesthetic injections can be uncomfortable, however this is over very quickly and done with the utmost care to make sure that you experience the least amount of discomfort possible.
As nail surgery is usually done to treat an ingrowing toenail, which can reoccur if the nail regrows in the same place, we stop the nail from growing back to give a permanent treatment. There are some cases, for example fungal nails, where we may offer removing the nail and allowing it to grow back.