An ingrowing toenail can be one of the most painful day-to-day problems we see in clinic. The good news is that most cases can be settled either with a single chiropody appointment or — for recurring cases — with a small surgical procedure designed to give a long-term result.
When conservative care is enough
Not every ingrowing nail needs surgery. Many are caused by a one-off trigger:
- Cutting the nail too short or too curved at the corners
- A new pair of shoes that puts pressure on the side of the toe
- A minor sports knock or stub
- An overly aggressive home pedicure
In those cases a chiropody appointment is usually enough. We’ll trim back the offending edge of the nail, remove any spike of nail that’s pressing into the skin, and give you advice on how to cut the nail going forward so the problem doesn’t return. That single appointment is often all that’s needed.
When nail surgery is the right call
Some toes get into a pattern of repeated ingrowing — the nail shape, the surrounding skin, and the way the toe loads in shoes all conspire against you. If a toenail keeps becoming ingrown despite good cutting and sensible footwear, a long-term surgical solution is usually the better option than going through the same painful cycle every few months.
We provide partial and full nail avulsion under local anaesthetic at all four of our clinics: Leeds, York, Wetherby and Wharfedale. The procedure itself is quick — usually under an hour from start to finish.
What the procedure involves
- Local anaesthetic. Two small injections at the base of the toe numb it completely. This is the only uncomfortable part.
- Removal of the affected nail edge (or, in some cases, the whole nail). The portion of nail that has been growing into the skin is taken away.
- Phenolisation of the nail bed. A chemical called phenol is applied to the nail-forming cells under the area we’ve removed. This helps prevent that section of nail from regrowing, which is what gives the procedure its long-term result.
- Dressing and aftercare instructions. You go home with a dressing and a clear plan for the first week.
Healing takes around 4–8 weeks. Most patients can return to office-based work the next day, with some adjustment to footwear.
What to expect afterwards
The toe is sore for the first 24–48 hours and we’ll discuss pain relief with you. Daily salt-water bathing and a clean dressing are usually all that’s needed. We’ll see you back to check healing after a week or so, and then again at around four weeks.
The cosmetic result is generally very good. With a partial avulsion the remaining nail looks normal; with a full avulsion the nail bed heals to a flat, skin-covered surface.
Pricing and how to book
See our fees page for current nail surgery pricing. The fee is the same across all four clinics.
Book an appointment or make an enquiry → and we’ll arrange an initial assessment to confirm whether nail surgery is the right approach for you.
Lee Short MSc DPodM and Bob Longworth MSc DPodM are directors and senior podiatrists at Podiatry Clinics (Yorkshire) Ltd.