Nail surgery for ingrown toenails

Stop your ingrowing nail saying ‘no’!

If you’ve had enough of your ingrowing nail saying no to walking, to sport, or even to a good night’s sleep, it’s time to get it treated. Partial or Total Nail Avulsion procedures, carried out by our experienced team, offer an effective remedy.

Ingrown toenails can be problematic and cause considerable pain. They can prevent us from enjoying an active life and make everyday activities more difficult. And without treatment, they can easily become infected.

An ingrown toenail occurs when one or both sides of the toenail — most often on the big toe — grow into the surrounding skin. If the nail curls and pierces the skin, the tissues become swollen, red and tender.

Signs of an ingrowing toenail include:

• Pain when pressure is put on the toe
• Skin growing over the nail
• Redness, swelling or bleeding

In addition, a white or yellow discharge from the toe may indicate an infection. This should be treated without delay.

Surgical options

In cases where more conservative treatment isn’t working, nail surgery can be an effective alternative.

The two options are Partial Nail Avulsion (PNA), removing part of the nail, and Total Nail Avulsion (TNA), removing the whole nail. The latter may be necessary if the nail is thick or diseased and is pressing into the skin surrounding your toe. You will have an indentation where the nail used to be, but it is perfectly safe for you not to have a toenail.

What the procedure involves

Surgery will only be recommended if our thorough assessment indicates it is the best option. A local anaesthetic is given in order to make the procedure as painless as possible. The side, sides or whole nail, are then removed. A chemical called phenol is applied to prevent the nail regrowing, the toe is then wrapped in a sterile dressing. A follow-up appointment will be made, during which further care and advice is given. The PNA or TNA procedure is carried out by our trained podiatrists.

Contact us today and talk to our friendly team.