It takes between 2 weeks (without nail bed destruction) and 6 weeks (with nail bed destruction) for the toe to fully heal. If you have an office job, you can usually return to work the day after nail surgery. You can usually also return to work from the next day if you have a job that requires you to be on your feet a bit more, but letting your work know that you may need to take a break or sit down more is worthwhile so that they can make reasonable adjustments for you. You might find that your toe throbs and possibly bleeds a little bit if you do too much, too soon after nail surgery. You should not go swimming in a public pool until the surgical site has dried out (normally 4-6 weeks after nail surgery). Likewise, going swimming in the sea would not be recommended, especially if you have to walk on a sandy beach as the sand may get into the wound.