When Is Nail Surgery Needed?
Nail surgery is recommended when an ingrown toenail keeps returning despite conservative treatment, or when the nail is causing significant pain or infection. It provides a permanent solution by removing the problematic section of nail and preventing it from regrowing.
The Procedure
Nail surgery is a straightforward procedure performed in the clinic under local anaesthetic. You will not feel any pain during the procedure. The steps are:
- Local anaesthetic is administered to numb the toe completely
- The offending nail edge (or in some cases the entire nail) is carefully removed
- A chemical (phenol) is applied to the nail matrix to prevent that portion of nail from regrowing
- The toe is dressed with a sterile bandage
The entire procedure typically takes around 45–60 minutes including preparation and dressing.
Recovery
After the anaesthetic wears off, you may experience some mild discomfort which can be managed with standard over-the-counter pain relief. Most patients can return to work the next day, though we advise wearing open-toed footwear for the first few days.
You will need to attend the clinic for redressing appointments over the following few weeks. Full healing typically takes 6–8 weeks. We provide detailed aftercare instructions and are always available if you have any concerns during recovery.
Success Rate
Nail surgery with phenolisation has a very high success rate of over 95%. It is considered the gold standard treatment for persistent ingrown toenails and is the same procedure used in NHS podiatry departments.