Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Ingrown Toenail Treatment & Nail Surgery At Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic Chester
"I’ve got a really bad ingrown toenail when I search for information it tells me that I will need nail surgery, when can I have it removed?”
“Have I got an ingrown toenail ?”
“Have I got a severe ingrown toenail?
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“Will my ingrown toenail need removal through surgery?”
“Can you take out my ingrown toenail through permanent toenail surgery?”
Just some of the many variants of the question we at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic get asked when a patient first presents with a sore toe.
Going online can be great for finding out information or even self-diagnosing a condition but when it comes to a physical examination a visit to a suitably qualified podiatrist or chiropodist in their clinic can bring many immediate benefits and in doing so relieve you of the pain you have been suffering from.
Lets first talk about ingrown toenails or ingrowing toenails.
The list of background events to an ingrown toenail is pretty long.
Such triggers for an ingrown toenail can include working all day in tight fitting shoes or boots, steel toe caps or dropping an item on your toe and initially dismissing the blackening of the nail and the months of damage/ recovery to your nail.
We see a lot of footballers who suddenly find the pain from the toe area is causing distress. Its quite normal to walk into an appointment hobbling to then leave the clinic fixed and ready to go again.
For current athletes, the rigors of sport or dance may have impacted on the condition of your feet, you may find your competitiveness is affected by that niggling feeling from a toenail digging into your toe.
You may go hill walking and again dismiss the bruising to toes as a side issue from the friction caused from your boots on your feet.
Add to this list a neglect of your toe nails by letting them grow or by cutting them too short or even to the wrong shape and you start to see that one or a number of factors could be contributing to your ingrown toenail. Yes!! Many patients are surprised to discover that there is a correct way to cut your nails!! And that often a small change in this process can bring improvements to the growth of your toenails.
Fortunately, We at Deva Podiatry have many years of experience in addressing ingrown or ingrowing toe nails.
If your issue is fairly recent it is possible to implement a number of improvements to your foot health maintenance that can see instant improvements in the condition of the toe, nail and nail bed. An initial consultation and treatment may be all that is necessary to send you on your way with valuable advise.
Perhaps you have visited a podiatrist on a number of occasions to address your ingrown toenail. We manage a number of people’s foot health, by maintaining the ingrown nail and bed, to ensure that they can visit for a regular appointment to control any inflammation. At Deva Podiatry we are happy to be consulted for ingrown toenail advice.
Occasionally, we are consulted by a patient who is convinced that their only option is permanent toenail removal and nail surgery or ingrown nail surgery is the only solution. Many patients are reassured to discover that actually the condition is not as severe as they believed.
If you have followed through the scenarios above you will understand that no two individuals present with exactly the same nail damage and as such a Podiatrist has at their disposal specialised tools and equipment for all variants of an ingrown toenail.
When you are ready to make an Ingrown Toenail appointment give Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic a call, were always happy to help.
Moving on to Nail Surgery
Lets start by repeating, your nail may look unsightly, damaged and of serious concern to you , but this does not mean that an appointment with a podiatrist must mean permanent toenail removal.
If you have previously visited us for assistance with issues surrounding your ingrown toenails and they are under management then you may be considering removal of all or part of a nail. We will have discussed this with you and prepared you for the possibility of this in the future.
If it is some time since your last visit to Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, please feel free to contact us for a consultation on the possibility of ingrown toenail removal surgery.
Finally if you wish to find out in detail what exactly nail surgery entails then we have linked to a video that can also be found in the blog pages of Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic. This excellent video shows the full process of nail surgery.
If you click here you will be taken to another blog post that identifies in detail the full Nail Surgery procedure at Deva Podiatry.This blog post identifies the tools and equipment that we use at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic. This equipment is in line with the guidance on standards we are set. In addition, to those standards we ensure that any nail surgery carried out is blocked out to allow for appropriate clinic time. The clinic is prepared, all tools and medical items are set out and strict surgical procedures and timings are introduced.
We also include up to 4 follow up appointments and provide you with necessary dressings and full at home instructions. We guide you all the way through recovery. Our aim is your total satisfaction in the treatment you have received from us.
For Reassurance the Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic COVID-19 Policy is reprinted in full. You can be further reassured that the clinic and all equipment will be prepared to the highest standards prior to your designated surgery time.
Introduction
The health and safety of both patients and podiatrists is paramount. Deva Podiatry have always focussed on exceptional Infection control; however COVID-19 has brought to the fore the need to introduce additional measures. This document is to be used in combination with documents from other organisations such as Public Health England and The College of Podiatry.
Additional Infection Control
Between each appointment to wipe with diluted bleach or clinell wipes;-
• Doorknobs
• Entire treatment couch
• Patients chair within clinic
• Podiatrists Chair
• Keyboard, screen, and housing of I-Pad
• Square payment terminal
• Pen
• Treatment Trolley
• Counter- top
• Light
• Sneeze shield
• Drawer handles, drill, doppler, cardio machine, doppler and any other items touched in the course of treatment
• Skirting to the clinic
Also, to mop floor with diluted bleach, clinell wipes or floor wipes.
Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE)
The College Of Podiatry currently directs podiatrists to use tables 2 and 4 when deciding which PPE to use:
• Gloves
• Apron
• IIR fluid resistant masks
• Eye or face mask, depending on risk. Risk factors to be considered are which procedure, likelihood of patient being contagious and risk factors of the contracting COVID-19.
The College Of Podiatry suggests that a FFP2 or FFP3 mask will provide superior protection, therefore a combined IIR and FFP3 mask is ideal. The College advises that a face visor would, if this combination is not available, provide additional protection.
Before booking the appointment
The podiatrist will question the patient and, if an existing patient, refer to previous notes to ensure the patient meets the current criteria for treatment listed in the “ Decision Tree for Independent Practitioners” and the “Treatment Grid during COVID-19”.
Before the appointment
• The COVID-19 triage form is completed
• The patient consents to attending the appointment
• It is explained to the patient that they must wait in the car until the allotted time
• they may be required to wear a mask
• they will need to wash their hands or use hand sanitiser upon attending
• that 2 metres distance will be maintained where possible (continued)
• they will need to attend on their own (exception where it is previously identified that a carer or guardian will attend)
• Payment will be taken via card
On Arrival for the appointment
• Any pedestrian patient must not arrive before their allotted appointment time
• A patient travelling by car is to stay within their car until the allotted appointment time
• A patient will be encouraged to wear their own mask or scarf for their own personal protection
• The patient will be directed to sanitise their hands prior to treatment or if a preference is made for washing hands this facility is also available next to the treatment chair
Changes within the clinic
• Worktop surfaces will be decluttered to allow for more efficient cleansing in between patients
• All seating materials to be made of a wipeable material
• Sign at entrance to clinic highlighting COVID-19 guidelines
• Tissues and hand sanitiser available to patients
• Lavatory light to be left on
• Patient appointments to be restructured to allow for adequate time to receive the patient, carry out the treatment and for the patient to exit the clinic without an overlap with previous or subsequent patient
• An additional period of time to be allocated to the period post appointment to allow for satisfactory sanitising of the clinic
• Patients who are known to be at higher risk from Covid-19 and fall within the vulnerable categories will be offered an appointment at the start of the session
Podiatrists Attire
• Clean scrubs and socks to be put on in the clinic
• Dedicated clinic shoes to be kept and used within the clinic
• After session, scrubs and socks to be placed into a dedicated clinic laundry bag and put directly into washing machine upon bringing them into the house
• After clinic session, podiatrist to go directly home and shower, laundering clothes that have been worn between clinic and house
VERSION 2: Produced by Sarah Webber DATE: 5th June 2020
References and external links to governing legislation in relation to Covid-19. Click on the icons below to be taken to the relevant latest information on coronavirus.
COP “PPE Clarification May 2020”
COP “ PPE inaccessibility guidance”
Public Health England “ Additional considerations, in addition to standard infection prevention and control precautions” table 4 “ Any setting. Direct patient / resident care assessing an individual that is not currently a possible or confirmed case ( within 2 metres)”
