Big Toe Nail Surgeon

JEmily

Long story short had an ingrowing toil nail removed when i was alot younger. Doc who done left it as a stub, and now it breaks constantly, looks like a snail on my foot, and falls off every couple of years. It looks awful and i don't wear sandals because i hate it.

Does anyone know or can recommend a good surgeon to correct it or try and repair it? Has anyone had anything similar?

Should i go to GP for referral or go to chiropodist?

Really don't know where to start:(

InTheTrees

I have a similar issue. When i was younger, the doc hacked at each side of the nail so the centre grows okay but each side is a unsightly mash up of nail material that I have to clip carefully. Nothing falls off though..

Being a guy it doesnt matter much really although I wear open sandals most of the summer months and its kind of gross. I'd never even considered having anything more done.

Chiropodist is probably the best place to start but honestly a plastic surgeon is probably the best bet.

Would you let me know how it goes?

Alf Veedersane

I had it done back in the day where they took out both sides of nail and 'killed' the nail bed so fresh nail wouldn't grown back there.

On both big toes.

No problems 20 years later.

Not much use to you, OP, but just said I'd mention it just to balance things out...

SM01

Repairing 'is a tricky one, there's only a limited amount that could be done - for instance, it could be filed down with a nail drill however the area the nail covers won't change. Without seeing the nail it's very hard to say exactly what can be done.

If complete removal is acceptable to you, a reputable podiatrist would be able to sort that out for you - It's a very basic procedure. Usually there's an initial screening a week or a few days beforehand to assess the suitability of the patient/toe. The procedure usually involves a toe block local anaesthetic and once that takes hold (approx 5 min) the removal, optional phenolisation (destruction of the growth area in the nail matrix and nail bed to prevent regrowth) and bandaging up the toe takes about 15 min in total. The LA injection is uncomfortable - like any injection but the procedure itself should be entirely painless.

JEmily

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

Alf Veedersane

JEmily wrote: »

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

It's pretty painless, innit. Had to have my toe shaved before it

Stench Blossoms

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's pretty painless, innit. Had to have my toe shaved before it

I just vomited in my mouth a little bit.

Hairy toes *shudder*

Alf Veedersane

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I just vomited in my mouth a little bit.

Hairy toes *shudder*

Steady on. 3 hairs wouldn't exactly confer werewolf status.

dublin podiatrist

JEmily wrote: »

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

Hi JEmily. How is your nail now?

dublin podiatrist

JEmily wrote: »

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

Hi JEmily. How is your nail now?

dublin podiatrist

JEmily wrote: »

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

Hi JEmily. How is your nail now?

dublin podiatrist

JEmily wrote: »

OK - UPDATE

Went to GP to get referral letter and he suggested THERE and THEN he take off the snail nail that was there. It was beginning it's falling off mode anyway so would have been coming off in another few weeks as per normal.

He said original operation was a botch job but was 100% sure if he removed it at the root it should grow back perfectly fine in a couple of months. I was very hesitatant but i had nothing to lose.

So there and then (Wed) had the roots removed and nail - 2 injections into the toe didn't feel much after this. So now am nail-less. Actually feel much better about this than i thought. Very neat job and looks slightly red but other than that not sore at all.

So in a couple of months will post up if new nail forms prefectly. If it does not my doctor said he'd refer me to specialist to put right. I'll attach photo later of post-op so you can see how clean it is.

Thanks for all replies

Hi JEmily. How is your nail now?

JEmily

dublin podiatrist wrote: »

Hi JEmily. How is your nail now?

Growing back, GP thought it should grow back normal but i can see already it's growing back wrong again as i thought. I'll have to go back to GP and get a referral to a surgeon. Does anywone know if they can give me back a proper nail and i can wear sandals again? Or could anyone recommend a good nail surgeon to fix it permanently???

dublin podiatrist

Sounds like there was damage to the nail bed (which grows the nail) in which case the nail will never grow back normally again.. you could revisit the doctor again or consider having the whole nail removed permanently once and for all.. try a google search of podiatrists in your area and give them a ring to see if they can help.
Best of luck.

NormalBob Ubiquitypants

Sorry to drag up an old thread but it is relevant. I have an ingrown toenail and no podiatrist nearby. GP wants to send me in for a "surgical procedure" to private hospital. Seriously the cost of it. I know the nail has to come out. It just seems overkill to refer me to a surgeon in a private hospital.
Usually live in Dublin. Going to try and see a podiatrist and see if they can do anything about it. I read that it only takes about 20 minutes in total to do, but do I need to have someone with me and could I go back to work?

Alf Veedersane

Thread on it here that might be of some use:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=93021127

But, like I said in it, check what they do because straight up nail removal might end up with a similar situation when the nail regrows.

It might not though.

As per thread, Swiftcare is an option.

NormalBob Ubiquitypants

Thanks