Ingrowing Toenail Treatment

You will be expected to change your own dressings while the wound is healing. This will normally involve:

• Allow the dressing to get wet in the shower/bath.
• Remove dressing and allow the water to run down your body and over the toe – avoid direct water pressure on the toe.
• Allow the area to air dry, do not use a towel to dry the toe.
• Apply a breathable dressing available from local supermarkets or pharmacies. We advise you to obtain these before your procedure date.
• It is important to avoid foot baths, prolonged soaking and any type of scrubbing of the area.

Healing times may vary from 4 – 6 weeks, depending on your medical history and the type of ingrowing toenail treatment/surgery you had. The application of the chemical (Phenolisation) to prevent the nail growing back will increase healing time. Normal healing from phenolisation may include:

• Redness localised to the tissues around the nail bed
• The nail bed may be moist and leak some fluid onto the dressing initially
• A thin yellow film may form over the nail bed
• Area may look slightly yellowish before getting better and looking more like a normal wound

All of the above should reduce gradually and result in a dry scab forming with no fluid leaking onto the dressing.