Toenail Go Bye Bye?

fozzeh

Right, I've had ingrowing toenails for about 15 years now. I had them wedged when I was 11 (twice right, once left) and that seemed to be ok for 6-7 years.

However, since 2004 I've been "actively managing" them (so basically, cutting nail from under the skin and making sure it doesn't hurt as much, can involve a lot of blood, can hurt for a day or so). Every 3-5 weeks I need to do this really. They don't grow in at the end...but at the sides so hurts more there.

Anyway, doc says I can have them off whenever I want (with a 6 week referral) if I so choose.

Does anyone not have any big toe nails? What is it like? Etc. I know the toe for 2-3 weeks is pretty tender but having no nail must be kind of strange looking...however, I will never need to cut my big toe nails again! An opinions would be great ta.

tanith

I did read that they can just remove a sliver of nail+nailbed from each side of the nail leaving you some nail intact..

KittyPryde

My big toe nail has fallen off twice now. Once was a few years ago when I had ill fitting shoes and long shifts walking about. The second time was just the other day. Went walking in London back in May and shoes must have been too tight and toe-nail turned black over a month and I realised it was coming up and just pulled it of (sorry for the squeamish lol.)

It feels abit weird as it is weird to feel skin in the place of nail but it doesn't hurt. It weirdly looks like I still have a toe nail a little bit as it leaves the impression of one.

Anyway, they do grow back over a month or two. It's probably not as weird as you'd expect.

tanith

KittyPryde wrote: »

My big toe nail has fallen off twice now. Once was a few years ago when I had ill fitting shoes and long shifts walking about. The second time was just the other day. Went walking in London back in May and shoes must have been too tight and toe-nail turned black over a month and I realised it was coming up and just pulled it of (sorry for the squeamish lol.)

It feels abit weird as it is weird to feel skin in the place of nail but it doesn't hurt. It weirdly looks like I still have a toe nail a little bit as it leaves the impression of one.

Anyway, they do grow back over a month or two. It's probably not as weird as you'd expect.

When you have them surgically removed to alleviate ingrowing toe-nails the also remove the nailbed which means they don't ever grow back... I agree though it does feel weird when your toe-nail comes off through an accident or injury

Astara

This happened to my friend and she now has no big toe nail on one of her feet. I went with her to the hospital and it all went smoothly and it was a bit painful at first but it had been badly infected so no infection once it was done. When she wears flip flops and sandals in summer she likes to cover it with a plaster so that no one can tell and still has pedicures. I think once or twice she tried a false nail but it didn't stay on long as no nail to attach it to.

Hope it all goes well for you.

sweetnest

i had my toe nail removed 2 years ago. i suffered terribly with ingrown nails. i had a choice beforehand of what type of acid they would put on the nail bed to stop the re growth. i opted for the strongest which meant it would take longer to heal, but more chance of killing off the nail. No probs thinks I, i can handle the healing period so long as the blasted nail never grew back.

well, no problems with healing at all, in fact, all so good the nail grew back exactly the same as before, in growing.

I recently had another episode of the nail getting infected and had to go back to the doctors, this time i was sent to a chiropodist who cut the corners right down.

i hope for your sake the operation is a success first time, as if it isnt, you are likely, like me, to suffer for ever

Mands

fozzeh wrote: »

Anyway, doc says I can have them off whenever I want (with a 6 week referral) if I so choose.

Does anyone not have any big toe nails? What is it like? Etc. I know the toe for 2-3 weeks is pretty tender but having no nail must be kind of strange looking...however, I will never need to cut my big toe nails again! An opinions would be great ta.

Are they not offering a partial removal? They can take up to about a third of the nail from each side and leave the central third. That way you still have a nail, which looks pretty normal to most folk, but no danger of ingrowing problems in the future.

I had both of mine done, a month or two apart, about ten or fifteen years ago. For one they removed 2/3 of the nail, for the other about 1/2 of the nail. Because the nails were so very, very wide they now just look slightly narrower than usual; no one who doesn't know would guess that they'd been operated on, so much so that when I get a pedicure I have to mention it so that they're a little gentler on those toes.

I can't say that the surgery was pleasant, but it didn't take long and was well worth it in the long run.

If you want to research online then the name of the procedure is a Partial Nail Avulsion.

Best of luck,
Mands

fozzeh

tanith wrote: »

I did read that they can just remove a sliver of nail+nailbed from each side of the nail leaving you some nail intact..

"Right, I've had ingrowing toenails for about 15 years now. I had them wedged when I was 11 (twice right, once left) and that seemed to be ok for 6-7 years."

Technical term for the bits down the side is wedging.

Forgot I made this thread...would be looking at a full nail removal due to having the above procedure previously.

Not too worried about pedicures to be honset...won't go too well with hairy feet.

Any more experiences out there?