Toenail Removal Part 2

I know that a lot of you loved/hated my original DIY toenail removal post, so here’s the follow-up with a slightly more professional bias

The Before Shot
As you can see, my toenails aren’t the prettiest in the world. The big toenail on my right foot I’ve previously removed myself using a pair of pliers after it had seen a lot of abuse through Ironman and marathon training and racing and was hanging off. I had originally wanted all of my nails permanently removed, but the podiatric surgeon persuaded me on a slightly less drastic course of action, and we agreed to do the first 2 on each foot. The 2nd toe on my right foot was at this stage pretty much falling off anyway, fully detached at the nail bed, just hanging on at the front.

I had wanted to video the whole procedure but alas hospital policy wouldn’t let me, so I had to settle for a few sporadic photos during the process. None of actual instruments being applied, but some before, during and after.

Anaesthetised and Ready to Go
At this point I’ve had about 5 injections of local anesthetic in the 2 toes, which was actually the most painful part of the procedure, and little tourniquets have been applied to stop the blood-flow.

2 Fresh Nail Beds
This is just after the 2 nails had been popped off. The procedure involves a small metal spatula being used to go under the nail at the tip, separating it from the skin, and then once it’s flappy, pulling it out with a pair of forceps. Once the nail is out, you have to make sure there is nothing left of the nail to grow back, so the cavity is scraped clean with a sharp instrument before being cauterised with concentrated phenol

Burned Beds
This is after the nail bed has been fully cauterised with phenol, and you can see that the area looks a little blackened

2 More Nails Off
I had to have some more anesthetic in my right big toe as I still had a fair amount of feeling even after the left foot had been done. Fortunately this wasn’t as uncomfortable as the earlier local took the edge off. Despite wanting to watch the whole procedure and not being squeamish, I actually started to feel a bit funny while watching these ones being done, so had to have a bit of a lie-down. I suppose it’s a bit difficult to predict your response when put in a scenario which you aren’t familiar with. I think the part I found most toe-curling (not that I could do much at the time) was the scraping around in the exposed nail bed to remove any last bits of tissue. This made a rather unpleasant rasping noise along with the associated vibrations.

2nd Foot Done
You can see that the tourniquets have been removed from the left foot, allowing blood back into the toes, and the right nail beds have had phenol applied

Bandaged Up
All wrapped up neatly after about an hour in total from arrival at the hospital. Was probably being sliced and diced for about 30 minutes.

Practical Footwear
I had anticipated not fitting into normal shoes with post-surgery dressings on, so took some slides with me, which worked remarkably well, albeit not the warmest. Was rather uncomfortable driving home and as the local anesthetic fully wore off, the pain was quite acute. Fortunately after a mega dose of ibuprofen and paracetamol I was able to sleep OK, and as I write this the morning after, they’re feeling remarkably good. They do start to hurt a little if I stand up for a protracted period of time, so I have a good excuse to sit around with my feet up 🙂 My 1-year old toddler is however fascinated by the dressings, so it’s a bit of a challenge to stop him grabbing my toes at every opportunity!

Cheers, Rich

the local anesthetic fully wore off, the pain was quite acute

Having undergone this procedure twice in my life,I can confirm that you have a gift for understatement. 😯

Nice work and thanks for the thorough documentation. I went with natural wastage with mine.

Mashed my big toenails back in June running the Welsh 3000s. Took a good couple of months to fall off with regular checks and wiggle testing. *Just* about grown back 5 months later. Still not as long as normal but solid and painfree, including cramming feet into climbing shoes.

Lost one of the 4th nails in the meantime and that was gone and back in no time 🙂

I wouldn’t be able to look at these pictures if you’d had to have the entire toe amputated.

You see, I’m lack toes intolerant.

You see, I’m lack toes intolerant.

😆

You win todays PerchyPanther award for “funny shit i wish i’d said”

. I went with natural wastage with mine.

I’ve been through the natural wastage route with several nails and they’ve all come back worse than they were before, so a gradual downhill curve. I don’t find toenails particularly useful day to day and think of the time I’ll save by having to only cut 60% of my original nails 🙂

Cheers, Rich

This has to have been the best forum thread ever created

I cracked a toenail while I was at uni 15 years ago or so, the doctor quickly bounced me on to have it removed. For some reason as well as removing the toenail they decided to remove the roots entirely, to stop it ever growing back. So I’m missing the one toenail on my big toe now. I didn’t actually know this was what they were doing until after the operation.

Years on I’m still not quite sure of the logic, the other one is fine. Every time I bump that toe on something it makes me cross.

Pliers all the way.

local anesthetic in the 2 toes

Agreed there, I felt like there was more anesthetic than toe by the time they’d loaded it up.

I’m sure you are all keen to hear an update 🙂

Had the dressings changed at the hospital on Saturday and they’re considerably improved. Sorry for the crappy photos as the camera lens on my phone is knackered and doesn’t like to focus very close.

The phenol stops the tissue healing very quickly, so they’re still looking pretty fresh.

New dressings considerably less bulky than the original, so I can wear socks and normal shoes again 🙂

Cheers, Rich

Great to see that its not just me who has an issue with dressing toe injuries…

I’m a Paramedic Practitioner and it looks like I have been doing it right all these years if that’s what they use.. :^))