Eek need toe surgery :(
- Thread starter Newbfail
- Start date
Soldato
Had big toenail removed before as it was ingrown. Worst part was the injections into the toe to numb it. Removing it was only a min or 2 then dress the wound and your off again. Aftercare is obviously keeping it clean and avoiding hitting it. I was more worried about someone standing on it. Luckily motorbike boots are tough
Nail took a long time to grow back also but all good now
Nail took a long time to grow back also but all good now
Soldato
Newbfail, I've had the operation.
It's not a major op, basically a load of local anaesthetic and the procedure takes 10-15 minutes. Whole nail clipped off. The local wears off about 4 hours later and the pain is a dull type of pain. You might need ibuprofen but it's subjective. They'll put your toe in a dressing for you, and supply you with about 2 weeks worth of re-dressings which you'll be able to apply yourself. Inbetween dressings, you'll need to bathe your affected foot in a bucket of warm salted water to keep it infection-free. You'll also need to wear sandals for about a week. My work was fine about that, and I took the op day + 2 subsequent days off as sick no probs (even though my workplace was pretty strict).
It's not a major op, basically a load of local anaesthetic and the procedure takes 10-15 minutes. Whole nail clipped off. The local wears off about 4 hours later and the pain is a dull type of pain. You might need ibuprofen but it's subjective. They'll put your toe in a dressing for you, and supply you with about 2 weeks worth of re-dressings which you'll be able to apply yourself. Inbetween dressings, you'll need to bathe your affected foot in a bucket of warm salted water to keep it infection-free. You'll also need to wear sandals for about a week. My work was fine about that, and I took the op day + 2 subsequent days off as sick no probs (even though my workplace was pretty strict).
Commissario
I've had my left big toenail removed using the zadeks procedure. The whole nail bed is excised so that it shouldn't grow back. However, the first time it was done, a few bits were missed so it grew back in a couple of places so I had it done again. It's better now but I still have one tiny place where nail grows and every six months or so, I pull that small piece out with a pair of pliers. It doesn't hurt because all the nerve endings are dead.
Regarding your question. Yes it hurts. It hurts a LOT. When I say a lot, I mean, serious levels of pain. Pain that you've never experienced before and will probably never experience again. Toenail removal is considered a bit of a joke by those who have never had it done but trust me, it's not!
/edit - I wonder if it's different if it's just a removal as opposed to a complete removal/not grow back?
I have more pictures which I could share without the dressing, taken over a couple of weeks but it's not nice.
Do NOT click this unless you're prepared to see pictures of a toe, post surgery, with blood and everything.
[/spolier]
Regarding your question. Yes it hurts. It hurts a LOT. When I say a lot, I mean, serious levels of pain. Pain that you've never experienced before and will probably never experience again. Toenail removal is considered a bit of a joke by those who have never had it done but trust me, it's not!
/edit - I wonder if it's different if it's just a removal as opposed to a complete removal/not grow back?
I have more pictures which I could share without the dressing, taken over a couple of weeks but it's not nice.
Do NOT click this unless you're prepared to see pictures of a toe, post surgery, with blood and everything.
[/spolier]
Soldato
P.S. the nail did grow back as per Sharpygsxr's post above... took several months.
Soldato
I've had part of my nail removed when I was about 12 due to it ingrowing.
The injections are mild pain and then that's it, just make sure you look after it well and keep it clean and of course don't stub your toe.
The injections are mild pain and then that's it, just make sure you look after it well and keep it clean and of course don't stub your toe.
Soldato
Yeah I'm sure that the procedure a few of us had with ingrown nails must differ to the accounts of severe pain.
For me I had the whole nail off but I don't recall the pain being more than discomfort when walking. Also laying in bed at night I couldn't take the bed sheets or duvet rubbing against it so sleeping with a leg out of the bed for a while.
Dressings wise they give enough to keep it clean and I got some saline for cleaning but I don't recall not being able to wear boots etc. I ride a motorcycle daily so I think I had a day or 2 off work then back at it.
For me I had the whole nail off but I don't recall the pain being more than discomfort when walking. Also laying in bed at night I couldn't take the bed sheets or duvet rubbing against it so sleeping with a leg out of the bed for a while.
Dressings wise they give enough to keep it clean and I got some saline for cleaning but I don't recall not being able to wear boots etc. I ride a motorcycle daily so I think I had a day or 2 off work then back at it.
Soldato
Same as Feek. Pliers. Sidecutters.
They didn't wash the phenol off one of them properly either so one has scars down the side.
Moral: Make sure they do it properly.
They didn't wash the phenol off one of them properly either so one has scars down the side.
Moral: Make sure they do it properly.
I've damaged both my big toenails doing taekwon do, had the right foot one removed. I don't remember it hurting very much at all, this was 20 odd years ago though.
It did grow back, but only the first few mm of it are living, the rest is just like a horrible yellow full-sized toe-end (doctor said nothing to be done).
It did grow back, but only the first few mm of it are living, the rest is just like a horrible yellow full-sized toe-end (doctor said nothing to be done).
I think they will want them to grow back, but the nails in their current rather dented and unhealthy looking way is probably not tenable.
I'm also getting really bad ingrowing on one of them, had to go to hospital last weekend with a bad infection and now on antibiotics.
I'm also getting really bad ingrowing on one of them, had to go to hospital last weekend with a bad infection and now on antibiotics.
Both big toe nails removed when I was at School caused by idiotic tomfoolery, foot stamping - similar game to Bloody Knuckles.
I spent around 6 months visiting a Chiropodist who tried to save both nails to the extent that she gave up charging for each appointment, otherwise it would have cost a small fortune!
In the end I had to have both removed. The most painful was the injections, both sides of the nail - the natural reaction to move your foot when the needle is inserted which smarted!
The removal itself was painless, my worse fear was changing the dressing, but it was okay (soak your feet).
I spent around 6 months visiting a Chiropodist who tried to save both nails to the extent that she gave up charging for each appointment, otherwise it would have cost a small fortune!
In the end I had to have both removed. The most painful was the injections, both sides of the nail - the natural reaction to move your foot when the needle is inserted which smarted!
The removal itself was painless, my worse fear was changing the dressing, but it was okay (soak your feet).
Ha exact reason my nails are screwed. Lost both little toenails ones only grown back half (vertically down the nail
). Lost middle toe and big toe nails on one foot as well 
. They grew back fine though was just tender for many months/trying to battle athletes foot growing on the bare nail bed .
Man of Honour
I've not had whole nail removed but I've had the sides of each big toenail removed, due to ingrown toenails when I was a youngun. I recall other than the injections, which are only a little sting, you don't feel a thing during the whole process.
As mentioned above, no shoes for a while. It's agony otherwise during the healing process. I had to wear sandals
As mentioned above, no shoes for a while. It's agony otherwise during the healing process. I had to wear sandals
Associate
i got some disgusting photos of my big toe when i had my nail and nail bed removed with some chemical lol
i was off work for 2 months as it got infected and i couldn't wear toe cap boots which are mandatory where i work.
a nurse covered it in medical manuka honey and it cleared up in no time after that, wish i got that honey sooner.
the actual op didn't hurt, i just couldn't put my foot to the floor for a couple of days after as it felt like my toe was going to explode lol
a year before that op i had just the nail removed, enough skin got ripped out with it you could see my exposed tendon in that toe sliding about as i moved it lol, the nail grew back with a big curve on it so had to get it removed again and had the whole bed destroyed too, it's been 4 years and i've had no problems since and a nice bald toe.
i was off work for 2 months as it got infected and i couldn't wear toe cap boots which are mandatory where i work.
a nurse covered it in medical manuka honey and it cleared up in no time after that, wish i got that honey sooner.
the actual op didn't hurt, i just couldn't put my foot to the floor for a couple of days after as it felt like my toe was going to explode lol
a year before that op i had just the nail removed, enough skin got ripped out with it you could see my exposed tendon in that toe sliding about as i moved it lol, the nail grew back with a big curve on it so had to get it removed again and had the whole bed destroyed too, it's been 4 years and i've had no problems since and a nice bald toe.
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Associate
Agree with some of the above, the injections to numb my toe hurt so, so much more than any of the after pain etc. Other than that daily wash with salt water and a new plaster.
I had surgery on ingrown toe nails on Wednesday. As others have said, the injections hurt a bit and my toes were quite sore when the anesthetic wore off Wednesday night but the pain after that is managable. The bleeding and after care is a pain though - I forgot to let the boiling salt water cool down before I cleaned my toes this morning 
