topic Re: Toenail removal in Wellness

Toenail removal

Trailrun23 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:08:19 GMT

I thought I had seen a thread on this before, but didn't find it. DH has had a really persistent fungal infection on his big toe. Podiatrist says the nail has to be removed. Anyone had this done and what was the recovery like? Did your nail grow back? His doc says it will.

Re: Toenail removal

Krimpette — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:11:50 GMT

The husband of my BFF had this done recently. He was told that the toe nail will definitely grow back, but it will take a very, very long time.

Re: Toenail removal

Trailrun23 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:38:33 GMT

DH's dr said he had three options for removing the toenail, but only one would ensure the nail would grow back...,so he chose that. I just know he will be relieved to have it gone. Thanks for responding that it takes a long time to grow back. He will need to be patient.

Re: Toenail removal

Venezia — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:46:54 GMT

@Trailrun23 - As long as the roots are left intact, the nail should grow back with no problem. It can take up to a year for a nail to completely regrow, so patience is a virtue!

Re: Toenail removal

cheriere — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:52:30 GMT

@Trailrun23 My mom had this done twice. The second time she opted to permanently remove the nail. They nearly always grow back infected or ingrown.

Either way, they gave her three big shots in the toe to numb it. She said that was the most painful part. I remember she actually yelled. After it's numb and removed, they'll put a solution on so it never grows back. It doesn't look bad at all either. She still gets pedicures and just has the nail area painted lol. You can't even tell it's not really a toenail.

I hope you're husband finally gets some relief after getting this done. I know how painful and irritating these infections can be.

For the record, I'm going to have this done in the near future myself. I'll opt to not have the nail grow back too.

Re: Toenail removal

Carmie — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 21:02:03 GMT

My husband had his big toenail removed because it was terribly ingrown and infected. It grew back in a few months.

The doctor put a chemical on his toe so that the nail would not grow back as wide....it worked. He hasn't had any ingrown nails after that.

Re: Toenail removal

Kachina624 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 21:09:22 GMT

@Trailrun23. It has been about 40 years since I let a podiatrist talk me into removing my right big toe nail and it hasn't grown back yet. I don't know it makes much difference to a man, but for a woman it destroys the pedicure/sandals situation. I deeply regret having it done, especially since I've read there's a prescription medication available for the problem.

Re: Toenail removal

skatting44 — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 22:19:54 GMT

@Trailrun23

you have to really get rid of any toe mnail clippers that you may have used as the causatic agent for the toe fungus can remain on items and shoes .

Re: Toenail removal

cheriere — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 23:08:19 GMT

@skatting44 You're absolutely correct about that! Even soaking them in alcohol didn't seem to work for me. Once fungus sets in, it's almost impossible to kill it! The dr even recommended a prescription pill that has to be taken a long time to kill the fungus too. It can spread to other areas so easily and you may not even know it. It can eventually even effect your hair, resulting in thinning and loss.

Re: Toenail removal

SaveTheTurtles — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 01:57:50 GMT

The toenail won't grow back if the doctor cauterizes it, otherwise it most likely will.

Re: Toenail removal

shoesnbags — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 03:21:43 GMT

@Kachina624 wrote:
@Trailrun23. It has been about 40 years since I let a podiatrist talk me into removing my right big toe nail and it hasn't grown back yet. I don't know it makes much difference to a man, but for a woman it destroys the pedicure/sandals situation. I deeply regret having it done, especially since I've read there's a prescription medication available for the problem.

@Kachina624

Don't feel too bad about having it removed. I've had the fungus nail on my big toe cultured and have used several Rx meds that are supposed to work on that organism, but nothing helps! Before seeing foot doctors (yep, more than one) I also tried a number of home remedies.

So I still have my big toenail, but I haven't been able to have pretty polished toenails for two years now. And it's not likely to get better going forward.

Re: Toenail removal

Kachina624 — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 20:42:39 GMT

@shoesnbags If we can fly in outter space, send a man to the moon, cure certain cancers, why can't science cure toenail fungus, eh?

Re: Toenail removal

CatsyCline — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 22:58:22 GMT

had 2 toenails removed 8 yrs ago this week. my big toenail is the half the size of a postage stamp. my 4th toenail is just sort of nail fiber. i do polish them and it looks OK.

just a caveat it was the worst pain of my life (including childbirth) after the anesthesia wore off. and it took forever to heal.

soaked my foot daily in epsom salts and used iodine on it. dr finally had to prescribe an antibiotic used for ear infections. it worked.

all the doctors over the years kept telling me stuff like oh fungus is everywhere just live with it blah blah and no we won't give you the Lamisil pills.

Re: Toenail removal

Trailrun23 — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 20:49:49 GMT

Thanks for the reminder!

Re: Toenail removal

Trailrun23 — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 22:53:20 GMT

I have a friend who just puts polishe where her toenail used to be when she has a pedicure. You really can't tell unless you look closely.

Re: Toenail removal

Trailrun23 — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 23:30:05 GMT

DH went back to the podiatrist for a follow-up today after his toenail removal. Dr said not to use any more of the ointment he gave him and to use only tea tree oil on it at night. He said it heals skin better than anything else on the market and he doesn't know what more people don't use it.
Has anyone used tea tree oil for this type of thing?

Re: Toenail removal

shoesnbags — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 01:22:27 GMT

@Trailrun23 wrote:
I have a friend who just puts polishe where her toenail used to be when she has a pedicure. You really can't tell unless you look closely.

@Trailrun23

What keeps the polish from just peeling off her skin the next day? When I'm polishing my nails, if a little bit of polish gets on my skin it always comes off after I wash my hands a couple of times. This is not an idle question, as I have a big toe with a fungus that hasn't responded to treatment. I really, really miss having my toenails polished.

Re: Toenail removal

Nightowlz — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 19:24:54 GMT

@Trailrun23 wrote:
DH went back to the podiatrist for a follow-up today after his toenail removal. Dr said not to use any more of the ointment he gave him and to use only tea tree oil on it at night. He said it heals skin better than anything else on the market and he doesn't know what more people don't use it.
Has anyone used tea tree oil for this type of thing?

@Trailrun23

I use tea tree oil on everything. I use it instead of something like Neosporin or antibiotic ointment.

I would have used it full strength on my toenail before having it removed. It's supposed to penetrate through the skin so it probably do the same with the toenail.

It should be used with a carrier oil but I would use it as the doctor told him. I use it with & without a carrier oil depending on what I'm using it on.

The oil possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties.