Can you get your toenails removed

For example, if you had a fungal infection, it may come back. You can lower your risk of recurrence by:. In the case of repeated fungal infections or painful ingrown toenails , the toenail may have to be removed again. Ask your doctor about the procedure to destroy the nail matrix and permanently prevent the nail from regrowing. Trying to do it yourself increases the chances of infection and other complications. Then it can take up to 18 months to fully regrow a toenail.

If you attempt to remove a toenail yourself or if it falls off , you should still visit with your doctor to check for infection and proper healing. Several different medical conditions or injuries can create problems with your toenails, and most of them can be treated. Learn about the causes of…. Ingrown toenails occur when the edges or corners of a nail grow into the skin next to it, causing tenderness, redness, and even bleeding.

Toenails that have become thicker over time are a likely sign of a fungal infection. Learn what symptoms to look for and how to treat this condition.

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Pinky toe corns are pretty common foot complaints. You should refrain from running or vigorous exercise for 2 weeks after the surgery. Antibiotic ointment will be applied to the toe immediately after the procedure. The ointment is soothing and helps the toe to heal faster. You should apply the antibiotic ointment twice daily until the wound is completely healed. We like the over-the-counter nonprescription antibiotic ointment Mycitracin Plus because of the numbing medication mixed in with the antibiotic.

You may shower the day after the surgery. Gently dry the area and apply antibiotic ointment after showering. Avoid baths, swimming, or soaking the toe for the next 2 weeks. Try to keep the toe clean and dry. Your bandage will help to pad and protect the wound, while absorbing drainage from the wound. You can replace the bandage if blood or fluid soaks the bandage. Please keep the wound bandaged for at least 1 week after the surgery. You may experience some pain after the procedure.

If you experience discomfort, you can take ibuprofen brand names: Advil, Motrin, Nuprin , three mg tablets 3 times a day with food, and acetaminophen brand name: Tylenol , two mg tablets every 4 hours.

You should wear loose-fitting shoes or sneakers for the first 2 weeks after the procedure. Please avoid wearing high-heeled or tight-fitting shoes in the future. You should avoid running, jumping, or strenuous activity for 2 weeks after the surgery.

Teenagers should not participate in physical education activities for 1 to 2 weeks after the procedure. Infection may develop in the toe during the first few weeks after the surgery. Call your doctor if you develop increasing pain, swelling, redness, or drainage from the toe. Trimming the nails straight across the top of the nail is the best way to prevent another ingrown nail from developing. After removing the affected nail, Dr. Moran treats the area to destroy fungi or other types of infections.

Moran may destroy the nail matrix with a chemical or laser after removing the nail plate. The nail matrix is the cuticle area where your nail starts to grow. Destroying the nail matrix prevents the nail from growing back. At the end of the surgery, we treat the bare toe with an ointment and cover it with gauze.

The total surgery time is typically about an hour. While the local anesthetic should keep you pain-free during surgery, you may experience post-surgery discomfort and throbbing that you can treat with over-the-counter pain relievers. You may have to take an oral antibiotic if your toenail was infected.

Follow Dr. The ointment softens the nail over the next 7 to 10 days. You must keep the nail and dressing dry during this time. After the nail softens, your doctor removes the treated nail by lifting the nail away from the nail bed or by cutting out the diseased portion of the nail.

The area exposed by the nail removal should be kept clean. You may cover the area with a thin layer of petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and a nonstick bandage.

Apply more petroleum jelly and replace the bandage as needed. It should heal within 2 weeks. Nonsurgical nail removal can be used for severe antifungal infections and on nails that have increased in size due to abnormal growth hypertrophic. It is rarely necessary. After the diseased and dead tissue has been removed, the infection can be further treated by applying an antifungal cream to the remaining infected area or by taking oral antifungal medicine.