Home Care after your Nail Surgery

After the Surgery

  • The dressing: Keep it on at all times, keep it clean and keep it dry. Put a bag over your foot when showering to help. It will be changed for you at your next appointment.
  • Pain management: Take paracetamol as soon as possible after the surgery. Take it regularly as directed for the next few days. DO NOT take ibuprofen, aspirin or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories without first speaking to your doctor or podiatrist as these will increase the amount of bleeding.
    • NOTE: some pain is to be expected, but if it is beyond what you would consider reasonable, speak to your podiatrist.
  • Rest: Stay off your feet as much as possible for the first 24-48 hours. This includes not doing household chores. Preferably lie back with your feet raised.
  • Shoes: Avoid closed in or tight fitting shoes for the first 3-5 days.
  • Infection: We keep the surgery as sterile as possible. However, sometimes, the infection does still occur. Please monitor your toe for signs of redness or discolouration around the dressing, red streaking, fevers or feeling unwell, swelling, excessive pain or continued bleeding, or persistent hot or coldness of the toe. If you notice any of these, please contact your podiatrist or GP as soon as possible.

 

After the first dressing change

  • The dressing: Keep it on at all times, keep it clean and keep it dry. Put a bag over your foot when showering to help. It will be changed for you at your next appointment.
  • Pain management: Pain levels should be fairly minimal. Take paracetamol only as required.
  • Rest: You can do your normal household chores and school routine, but avoid sports and physical activity.
  • Shoes: Shoes that do not cause discomfort are fine.
  • Infection: Continue to monitor for the same signs of infection.

After the second dressing change

(Unless specified otherwise by the podiatrist)

  • The dressing: Each day after showering, follow these steps until the toe has healed completely:
    • Remove the dressing.
    • Place the foot in the warm salty water for 5 minutes (no longer) (1 palm full of salt per 1L of water. So 3L of water = 3 palm fulls of salt).
    • Carefully pat the area dry.
    • Apply a Band-Aid that is big enough to adequately cover and protect the area.
  • Pain management: If pain continues, please contact your podiatrist.
  • Rest: Once the toe has completely healed and is pain-free, you can return to all activities.
  • Shoes: Shoes that do not cause discomfort are fine.
  • Infection: Continue to monitor for the same signs of infection.
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