Nail Surgery

If you’re suffering from painful and persistent ingrowing toenails, you could benefit from nail surgery at Sussex Foot Centre.

Ingrowing toenails are a painful pathology which often goes untreated for weeks or even months, causing infection of soft tissue and severe pain. The condition is very common on the big toe due to pressure from footwear. They are often mistreated and waiting lists to have them treated can be lengthy. We offer a comprehensive package for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care of ingrowing toenails.

Ingrowing toenails present in a variety of ways depending upon severity and duration, often becoming infected with the requirement of antibiotics. Common causes for ingrowing toenails include tight shoes or hosiery, trauma, poor nail-cutting technique, and wide and involuted nail plates.

ingrown toenail

Ingrowing toenail, showing the area of the nail which would be removed.

Indications for Ingrowing Toenail Surgery

  •  Failure of conservative care to resolve the condition
  •  Recurring in-growing nails
  •  Painful involuted nails  (i.e. chronic curled-in nails).
  •  Infected in-growing nails
  •  Deformed nail shape
  •  Thickened fungal nails can cause pressure on the toe

What do we do on the day of the procedure?

  1. The procedure entails local anaesthetic being put on either side of the big toe to make the toe go numb, so you won’t be able to feel anything
  2. The toe is then washed and an antiseptic is applied all over the area to prevent any infection
  3. The procedure differs slightly depending on the nail pathology, however, it usually involves removing part, or all of the nail
  4. Once the offending nail is removed, a chemical called phenol is applied; this is what stops the nail from growing back
  5. The nail is then dressed with a bulky dressing to prevent any further trauma or infection
  6. We get you back the following day to redress the area
  7. We see you between 3-5 times after this to redress and check progress; you will be issued with all your dressings for this period and instructed on how to redress them yourself. Usually, healing time is 3-6 weeks but some nails can take longer

Key Points

  • No skin is cut at all.

  • There will be NO regrowth of the nail.

  • Patients can potentially go back to work the next day, depending on their occupation.

How Can We Help?

Follow the form below to get through directly to one of our Podiatrists at the practice or to request an appointment.

Or call — 01444 453874

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34 Sussex Road, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 4EA

We are trusted by our clients

Amy's been extremely helpful, informative and lovely to talk to during my foot appointment the last few visits. 100% recommend their services.
Darryl Rebbetts
Darryl Rebbetts
26/10/2022
Have had scan and chiropodist treatments and both were carried out with care and I was informed what would be done. I would highly recommend the Sussex foot centre for treatments.
Sheila Stobbs
Sheila Stobbs
15/10/2022
I was misdiagnosed by my GP after injuring myself long distance walking. Now I not only know what's wrong with me, but also how to remedy it so I can walk again. Great attention to detail. Thank you 😊
Liz Platt
Liz Platt
09/10/2022
Fantastic experience with the whole practice, there’s no where I’d trust more. Originally I went to have one issue sorted out, and have found another to be dealt with alongside. A practice where you feel listened to and taken seriously. Thanks again!
Nikki Martin
Nikki Martin
07/10/2022
Had an appointment with Jon Collins about a sore heel. Had a scan on both heels, which was followed by a detailed analysis of the results and an explanation (in layman's terms) what the issue was. Very impressed with his knowledge, how it was imparted and happy with our agreed action plan.
Jonathan Whitnall
Jonathan Whitnall
25/09/2022
Over the last 4 years or so, I have visited a number of professionals including physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths. I was experiencing recurring injuries in my left knee and hip from sports and from attempting to walk mid-distances. The pain was starting to flare in my back too. I was following the physiotherapists’ advice religiously and attending appointments regularly. However, the programme of exercises tended to make the pain worse rather than better. To add to my frustration, I was also misdiagnosed with a hip condition. In the back of my mind, I always felt there was something biomechanically incorrect in the way I move but I was reassured that was not the case until…..I booked an appointment with Jon at Sussex Foot Centre for a gait assessment. Jon quickly recognised the issue with my feet and their incorrect positioning. I was prescribed custom orthotics and after a few months of perfecting these, Jon then created my semi-permanent pair of orthotics. I have been walking further than I have done and am now back on the courts playing tennis, which I love, and never thought I would be able to do again. The whole team at Sussex Foot Centre are very helpful and efficient. My treatment is ongoing so as long as Jon is a podiatrist, I am his patient :) Thank you for everything!
Katherine Morley
Katherine Morley
22/09/2022
I had nail surgery last October and after all this time I can say it was worth it. Jon didn’t rush me into it and gave me all options available, in the end I decided to go for the surgery and Jon made it so easy and everything was explained to me before, during and afterwards. Any questions I had were always answered by Jon or one of his team and put my mind at rest (I’m a bit of a worrier). Can’t thank them enough for helping with something that I had tried to ignore for years.
Gavin Robertson
Gavin Robertson
01/09/2022
I highly recommend Sussex foot centre. I booked an appointment for the shoe insoles and Jon was very helpful and professional. He provided a great solution for me and I feel much better since I wear my new insoles. The entire team is also very nice and helpful with booking the appointments around my work schedule.
Michał Piotrowski
Michał Piotrowski
22/07/2022
After the NHS screwed up my ingrown toenail operation twice this year I decided to go private and it was the best decision. I was seen really quickly and toes healed within a couple of weeks, highly recommend sussex foot centre.
Lauryn Spink
Lauryn Spink
22/07/2022