In Growing toenail removal surgery
Discussion
Had both big toes done with a snip down the side.
The first time it was done bySweeney Todd a crazy surgeon in a theatre with mood lighting, he cut up the side, snipped the nail and pulled.... it hurt like fu... as he hadn't given me enough woowoo juice. 
I was laid up at home with a massive bandage on for weeks after and it hurt like hell everytime I shuffled around the house.
Then the cut away section started to regrow seperately and now I have a little section that has to be trimmed seperate to the main nail.
Not impressed.
The second time couldn't have been more different. It was done by a couple of nurses(?) in a clinic at the hospital who treated me like we were at a WI meet and had a good natter while doing it. There was no pain and they treated it using some crazy chemical to burn the root out.
I was wearing (loose) shoes again in a couple of days and was back at work and driving by the end of the week.
I'd go with the second option every time.
The relief once it's done is immeasureable!
Enjoy!
The first time it was done by
I was laid up at home with a massive bandage on for weeks after and it hurt like hell everytime I shuffled around the house.
Then the cut away section started to regrow seperately and now I have a little section that has to be trimmed seperate to the main nail.
Not impressed.
The second time couldn't have been more different. It was done by a couple of nurses(?) in a clinic at the hospital who treated me like we were at a WI meet and had a good natter while doing it. There was no pain and they treated it using some crazy chemical to burn the root out.
I was wearing (loose) shoes again in a couple of days and was back at work and driving by the end of the week.
I'd go with the second option every time.
The relief once it's done is immeasureable!
Enjoy!
Had it a few times, once under general however I'd had pneumonia a few times so they woke me up as they were bandaging it to check I was still breathing. Ouch is a word you could use to describe it, another is holy f
king mother of god what the fking hell have you done to my foot.
Another time I had the two nurses, evidently they were quite new and didn't apply a tourniquet so the anesthetic kept wearing off usually as they had the bolt cutters down the side of my nail. After I suggested a tourniquet things were much more pleasant.
Last year my OH came home after a works party and kicked the stair post ripping her toenail off, it didn't grow back properly and she had to have the nail removed, apparently the new technique is to remove the nail and the offending skin at the side of the nail, it looked like they removed almost a third of the flesh on that side of her toe.
Her surgery seemed harsh but the nail grew back fine, she didn't have the roulette wheel of will I need surgery again in six months because the bugger grew back in growing again.
king mother of god what the fking hell have you done to my foot.Another time I had the two nurses, evidently they were quite new and didn't apply a tourniquet so the anesthetic kept wearing off usually as they had the bolt cutters down the side of my nail. After I suggested a tourniquet things were much more pleasant.
Last year my OH came home after a works party and kicked the stair post ripping her toenail off, it didn't grow back properly and she had to have the nail removed, apparently the new technique is to remove the nail and the offending skin at the side of the nail, it looked like they removed almost a third of the flesh on that side of her toe.
Her surgery seemed harsh but the nail grew back fine, she didn't have the roulette wheel of will I need surgery again in six months because the bugger grew back in growing again.
Cyder said:
Had both big toes done with a snip down the side.
The first time it was done bySweeney Todd a crazy surgeon in a theatre with mood lighting, he cut up the side, snipped the nail and pulled.... it hurt like fu... as he hadn't given me enough woowoo juice.
I was laid up at home with a massive bandage on for weeks after and it hurt like hell everytime I shuffled around the house.
Then the cut away section started to regrow seperately and now I have a little section that has to be trimmed seperate to the main nail.
Not impressed.
The second time couldn't have been more different. It was done by a couple of nurses(?) in a clinic at the hospital who treated me like we were at a WI meet and had a good natter while doing it. There was no pain and they treated it using some crazy chemical to burn the root out.
I was wearing (loose) shoes again in a couple of days and was back at work and driving by the end of the week.
I'd go with the second option every time.
The relief once it's done is immeasureable!
Enjoy!
Are you me? My experience was the same. The first time it was done by
I was laid up at home with a massive bandage on for weeks after and it hurt like hell everytime I shuffled around the house.
Then the cut away section started to regrow seperately and now I have a little section that has to be trimmed seperate to the main nail.
Not impressed.
The second time couldn't have been more different. It was done by a couple of nurses(?) in a clinic at the hospital who treated me like we were at a WI meet and had a good natter while doing it. There was no pain and they treated it using some crazy chemical to burn the root out.
I was wearing (loose) shoes again in a couple of days and was back at work and driving by the end of the week.
I'd go with the second option every time.
The relief once it's done is immeasureable!
Enjoy!
I had gone to a local place 4 or 5 times, and the lady just cut a corner of the nail off, in the hope it wouldn't grow back at the funny angle. It did and it got worse and worse. I then went to the doctors, got an appointment for it to be sorted. It was hell, 2 over sized needles injected to the bone on my big toe. Then he may as well have grabbed his garden pliers and gone at my nail until it came out. He then cut some of the nail bed (the bit that covers the bottom of the nail) out, to stop it growing back, I could feel the knife cutting me, so clearly the 2 massive f
k off injections didn't work.Anyway, it grew back, but on the other side of my toe. I went to a different doctors and got scheduled it. Explained to the guy the pain I experienced and he didn't quite believe me! I knew I had to have the injections, so was worried again, but this guy sprayed some numbing spray before the needles, hardly felt them compared to last time. A few minutes went on and we were happily talking, when he announced he was done and showed me my nail. No pain, didn't even know he'd done it! He proceeded to put some silver nitrate on my nail bed, to stop it growing back ever. This seems to have worked apart from a very small area (about 3mm) where I seem to grow what looks like a root of a tree for a nail. I just chop it back every month.
From my experience, anyone who gets hurt, has been treated incorrectly. As said, the second time was hardly any pain at all, so it can be done.
It needs to be redressed twice a day, which I was happy doing (saved an hour round trip) and I had to shower with a bag on my foot and dangle it out of the shower, not easy! I was driving within a week. The first time I had it done, I was resting for 3 weeks before I could put pressure on it.
ETA: Do you want to see the nail and toe? I took photos!
Edited by illmonkey on Wednesday 16th May 11:59
AlleyCat said:
Anyone had this? and how painfull is it? i believe im going to need it
Get a properly qualified surgeon/foot specialist to do it.The gold standard is a partial nail excision and nail bed ablation with something caustic like silver nitrate as previously mentioned, or 80% phenol.
Anything else will leave the germinal matrix intact (the root) and the problem returns.
Also as mentioned, it is possible to have it as a painless procedure under local anaesthetic, only feeling the local infection (ideally a ring block)
Will
Knee Surgeon.
I've had it done a few times after I dropped a guitar on my toe which caused it to ingrow on both sides. Where I live they change the arrangements for doing it regularly - sometimes a nurse will do it at my GP surgery (without the phenol which is pointless) and sometimes I got to go to the hospital where they do it properly.
I got fed up with waiting one time when the ingrowth was near enough to the surface of the toe to grab hold of, so I sterilized a pair of tweezers and nail scissors over a flame, and removed the offending section myself. That hurt quite a lot but it made a big difference.
I got fed up with waiting one time when the ingrowth was near enough to the surface of the toe to grab hold of, so I sterilized a pair of tweezers and nail scissors over a flame, and removed the offending section myself. That hurt quite a lot but it made a big difference.
The_Doc said:
Get a properly qualified surgeon/foot specialist to do it.
The gold standard is a partial nail excision and nail bed ablation with something caustic like silver nitrate as previously mentioned, or 80% phenol.
Anything else will leave the germinal matrix intact (the root) and the problem returns.
Also as mentioned, it is possible to have it as a painless procedure under local anaesthetic, only feeling the local infection (ideally a ring block)
Will
Knee Surgeon.
Yes do this, I've had it done on both sides of both big toes and haven't had ingrowing issues for years. I wouldn't recommend having your thumbnail pulled out however - that really stings once the anasthetic wears off. (I had to have this done as it was growing through strangely and getting mucky underneath)The gold standard is a partial nail excision and nail bed ablation with something caustic like silver nitrate as previously mentioned, or 80% phenol.
Anything else will leave the germinal matrix intact (the root) and the problem returns.
Also as mentioned, it is possible to have it as a painless procedure under local anaesthetic, only feeling the local infection (ideally a ring block)
Will
Knee Surgeon.
With the toe surgery I had mine done on BUPA and they wheeled me out of there in a wheel chair and I was told not to do anything but sit with my foot in the air for 2 days. This worked a treat, although I did run out of films to watch!
It was rank.I have done thousands of these, there really is nothing to worry about. You need a couple of injections of local anaesthetic at the base of your toe (where the skin is quite loose so it isnt too uncomfortable) after that its a 5 minute job.
The chemical used to kill off the nail root cells also helps to keep the local area numb for 24-48 hours (it sizzles some nerve endings as a bonus) use normal pain relief (like you would for a headache) if there is any discomfort and return to your clinic after a few days for a quick check.
Open shoes probably best until it heals up and regular strong salt footbaths will probably help. All in all much less uncomfortable than the ingrowing nail you have already
The chemical used to kill off the nail root cells also helps to keep the local area numb for 24-48 hours (it sizzles some nerve endings as a bonus) use normal pain relief (like you would for a headache) if there is any discomfort and return to your clinic after a few days for a quick check.
Open shoes probably best until it heals up and regular strong salt footbaths will probably help. All in all much less uncomfortable than the ingrowing nail you have already
illmonkey said:
Mr Roper said:
yes
GRAPHIC PHOTOS - DONT CLICK!http://img91.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00001me...
http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00495m...
http://img227.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03131m...
http://img152.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc03140m...
I had mine done twice, it was in growing really bad so the doctor took off the nail under local anaesthetic, bandaged it up and after a week removed the bandages and all was fine, however it grew back even worse.
Second time was in hospital, again under local but this time the surgeon removed the nail and killed the roots so it won't grow back. It's fine now.
It's nothing to worry about, just a couple of jabs, that's numb for 24 hours, I didn't need any painkillers, bandage off after a week.
Don't worry.
Second time was in hospital, again under local but this time the surgeon removed the nail and killed the roots so it won't grow back. It's fine now.
It's nothing to worry about, just a couple of jabs, that's numb for 24 hours, I didn't need any painkillers, bandage off after a week.
Don't worry.
I'm a podiatrist so have also done quite a few of these. (It's my turn again next weds).
There is a little trick with the LA to make it hurt a bit less and that is to just insert the needle a few mm, inject a small amount and leave it for 5mins or so. Seems to work. Everyone is different though, some people jump through the roof with the injection (usually rugby players), some don't even flinch (grannies). Anther one is to warm the LA slighly in a cup of warm water, seems to burn a bit less.
The old school way is a Zadeks procedure where they surgically excise the germinal matrix, these are the ones I've seen grow back more often to be honest and they regrowth is often just a singular spicule that can look a bit weird. Often the original surgeon knows nothing of the regrowth as they have been discharged and it's easier to get back for it doing in community via the GP.
We use phenol to stop regrowth and it works very well. The method used to remove the nail varies depending on the shape od the nail, how well it's attached and whether you are having just a slither taken off or the whole thing. It should never really be too much of a struggle though if you have the correct instruments.
So, to summarise, ask your GP if you can be referred to Podiatry, they should sort you out quickly enough and somewhere close to home too.
ps...I removed my own fingernail after trapping it in the loft hatch door so i know how much a dodgy nail and the LA injection can hurt.
There is a little trick with the LA to make it hurt a bit less and that is to just insert the needle a few mm, inject a small amount and leave it for 5mins or so. Seems to work. Everyone is different though, some people jump through the roof with the injection (usually rugby players), some don't even flinch (grannies). Anther one is to warm the LA slighly in a cup of warm water, seems to burn a bit less.
The old school way is a Zadeks procedure where they surgically excise the germinal matrix, these are the ones I've seen grow back more often to be honest and they regrowth is often just a singular spicule that can look a bit weird. Often the original surgeon knows nothing of the regrowth as they have been discharged and it's easier to get back for it doing in community via the GP.
We use phenol to stop regrowth and it works very well. The method used to remove the nail varies depending on the shape od the nail, how well it's attached and whether you are having just a slither taken off or the whole thing. It should never really be too much of a struggle though if you have the correct instruments.
So, to summarise, ask your GP if you can be referred to Podiatry, they should sort you out quickly enough and somewhere close to home too.
ps...I removed my own fingernail after trapping it in the loft hatch door so i know how much a dodgy nail and the LA injection can hurt.
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