Aftercare for Nail Procedures

Nail Avulsion

Removal of partial or total toenail without chemical cauterization:

•Limit walking for the rest of the day. Wear an open-toed shoe.

•The day following the procedure, remove the bandage, and soak the operated toe in warm salt water (1 tsp of salt per ½ gallon water) for 5-10 minutes. The toe can also be soaked in warm water with a little antibacterial soap.

•Soak the foot twice a day for 1-2 weeks, until the wound is healed.

•After soaking, apply a Band-Aid with some antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin, or triple antibiotic)

•If the wound does not appear to be healing properly, or you have any questions, please call the Podiatry Clinic at 972-6590, or e-mail your doctor.

•The removed portion of nail will gradually re-grow. If it becomes a problem again, you may want to have this portion of nail permanently removed.

Maticectomy

Permanent removal of part or all of toenail with chemical cauterization:

The procedure to permanently remove part, or the entire nail, involves creating a chemical burn to prevent the nail-making cells from re-growing nail. This burn will cause redness, swelling, tenderness, and drainage where the nail was removed for two to four weeks.

•Limit walking for the rest of the day. Wear an open-toed shoe.

•Take Tylenol or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort.

•The day following the procedure, remove the bandage and soak the operated toe in warm salt water (1 tsp of salt per ½ gallon water) for 5-10 minutes, or a solution of warm water with a little antibacterial soap.

•Soak the foot twice a day until the wound is healed and dry. After soaking, apply a Band-Aid with antibiotic ointment (such as Neosporin or triple antibiotic).

•An open-toed shoe will probably provide the most comfort while the nail bed is healing.

•The cauterized portion of the nail should not return. In a small percentage of cases, part of the nail may recur. If the nail regrows, please make an appointment for re-assessment.

•If the area does not appear to be healing properly, or if you have any questions, please call the Podiatry Clinic at 972-6590, or e-mail your doctor.

Disclaimer
If you think you have a MEDICAL OR PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY or go to the nearest hospital. DO NOT attempt to access emergency care through this web site. An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment to your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. An emergency medical condition is also "active labor," which means a labor when there is inadequate time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery or if a transfer poses a threat to the health of the member or unborn child.

This site may contain links to other web sites outside of www.permanente.net. Kaiser Permanente has no control over the content or the availability of these sites, and is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such Web sites. Web links are provided as an educational tool, and should not be relied upon for personal diagnosis or treatment. A link or reference to a web site should not be construed as an endorsement of the site or its contents. Any medical content that you feel may be important to your health should always be discussed with your Kaiser Permanente physician.