Nail surgery is generally quite simple and painless. We do need to use a small amount of local anaesthetic to numb the toe. A small portion of the nail is removed (you don’t need to remove the whole nail just the section that is ingrowing) and then we will often apply a chemical to the root (called the matrix) of the nail which stops that portion of the nail regrowing. The toe is then dressed and you can walk on it immediately, drive and even return to school or work if necessary. It’s a very effective procedure that “cures” the problem permanently.