In Grown Toenail

Ingrown toenails can be a painful and recurring issue. While they are typically seen in adolescence, they can occur at any age leading to ongoing pain and infections. Many minor ingrown toenails settle with taping of the nail and salt baths. Sometimes oral antibiotics can help to treat an associated infection. Wearing open-toe shoes during this time helps promote healing, and your doctor can advise on taping techniques to gently lift the nail margin from the skin to aid recovery.

In cases where ingrown toenails are recurrent or do not respond to conservative treatments, a wedge resection procedure may be recommended. This involves removing a portion of the nail margin, including part of the nail bed, to prevent future problems. The nail will be narrower following this surgery. 

The procedure is performed under ring-block anesthesia, which numbs the entire toe. This usually involves 2 injections of local anaesthetic. Patients are advised to arrange for someone to drive them home afterward, regardless of which foot is treated.

Following the resection, your doctor will advise you to keep your foot elevated and avoid any trauma. You will have a bulky dressing which can be soaked off after 3-4 days. There will be some sutures which will need to be removed after 2 weeks. For the first week post-procedure, wearing loose or open-toe footwear is more comfortable, and mild pain relievers like paracetamol or ibuprofen should be sufficient for managing any discomfort. With this procedure the portion of nail removed is very unlikely to grow back and in most cases, this is curative although occasional recurrences are seen. 

During your consultation, your doctor will provide guidance on proper nail care and recommend suitable footwear based on your foot structure and movement.

This procedure requires a pre assessment appointment so your doctor can examine you and explain the process and any risks involved in more detail. This is an initial 15 minute appointment. The surgical appointment usually takes approximately 30 minutes.