MINOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES

The Walkwell Clinic is one of the few in the UK providing surgical excision of stubborn verrucae and corns.   This is usually performed with the use of a local analgesic injection given at the ankle (this is not a painful injection as there are not many nerve receptors at this site).   This will make the sole of the foot numb to pain.

The verruca/corn is excised by a method known as hyfrecation, which is an electrical current transmitted through the skin, producing heat.  This detatches the epidermis from the dermis so that it can be removed.   The dermis is also removed by this method. 

The wound produced by this method generally takes 4 weeks to heal. 

NAIL SURGERY RESECTION

Sometimes ingrown toenails are so deep and infected, that they need to be removed down to the root.  A local analgesic is injected into the base of the toe and then resected to the root.  This procedure usually takes 3 days to heal.

PARTIAL NAIL AVULSION / TOTAL NAIL AVULSION

This is a permanent procedure, where the toe is anaethetised and a section of nail is removed from the root and that part of the root is destroyed.   This is 98 percent successful with no regrowth of the nail.  There is rarely any pain following the procedure and this can be managed with over the counter painkillers.  This takes 6 weeks to heal properly, and the result is a nice straight edged nail.  There is no hole left, as the skin closes nicely next to the nail. 

It is rare that the whole nail is removed, this is only suggested in cases when the patient has an incurable ram's horn nail.