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Post Minor Surgery Advice
This page is for patients who have recently undergone either nail surgery or verruca needling procedure. It is intended that this advice should be followed to optimise healing. If you have an urgent concern please do not hesitate to contact us direct by calling 02895439797.
Nail Surgery
Nail surgery can be performed with or without phenol. It is important to note which type you had. A permanent removal usually involves phenol.
Post procedure - Review appointment
You will be provided with a review appointment. Your toe will be dressed using sterile dressings. A small amount of bleeding is to be expected, to minimise this please don't do too much walking. Sit with your foot elevated and avoid anti inflammatories unless prescribed by your GP.
It is essential that you keep the dressing in place and dry. We try to leave it for a few days before disturbing your wound. It is normal that this can be up to one week.
Is is normal to expect some pain in the first few days. You can take paracetamol to manage this if required.
Wear a shoe that is wide fitting
Do not play sport
Review appointment - 2 weeks
Your podiatrist will have shown you how to dress your toe. It is important to always keep the toe covered with a clean plaster during this period. Apply a fresh plaster and apply a small amount of antiseptic such as savalon.
Salt water foot baths are recommended every 2 days. Boil some water, let cool to lukewarm and add a handful of salt to a basin of water. Steep your toe in the water for 20mins. Dry and apply antiseptic with a plaster.
Please continue to avoid sport during this period.
Some discharge is normal. It would be a straw coloured fluid left on the plaster at the end of each day. This is your body healing.
Reddness around the wound site is normal, it can indicate healing. But in some cases it can indicate a phenol flare. This is when the skin undergoes a sensitivity reaction to the phenol. Unfortunately this sometimes happens and can be painful until the sensitivity decreases.
2 - 6 weeks
Your wound should be actively healing. You should notice a reduction in pain levels, small discharge is normal. Heavy, purulent discharge can be a sign of infection, if concerned please contact the clinic.
You may reduce usage of dressings. If at home you can leave the dressing off and allow the air to naturally dry the wound.
You may start back at sport as long as you clean the toe using salt water and antiseptic.
6 weeks - 6 months
Healing should be completed. The nail bed area will continue to remodel and look more normal.