Toenail surgery: after-care

Immediately after surgery

We will discharge you home with a large dressing over your toe(s).

• You must rest with your foot raised for the rest of the day.
• Put on a light-coloured sock so you can keep an eye on any bleeding.
• Keep the dressing dry and in place until we advise you to redress your toe (usually within 2 days). You can then replace the large dressing with a much smaller one. Some patients may need a redressing appointment. Your podiatrist will discuss this with you, if needed. 

Bleeding

After surgery, your toe may bleed.

If you notice blood seeping through the dressing, do not remove the dressing. Raise your foot and do the following:

• apply pressure to the bleeding point for 5 minutes
• place extra sterile gauze over the existing dressing. (We will send you home with sterile gauze to use).

Dressings

We will supply you with a small starter pack of dressings, but you will need to buy more.

We will talk through with you how to change your dressings, before we discharge you home.

• Change your own dressing every 2 days.
• Change it more often if the wound is weeping through the dressing.

Everyday dressings

You can buy Cosmopor E dressings at most pharmacies and on Amazon. Your local pharmacy may suggest other suitable sterile dressings that you can use.

Waterproof dressings

You can buy LimbO waterproof dressings on Amazon and direct from Limbo.
To see the Limbo website, click on the image below.

How to apply an everyday dressing

Follow this guidance when you change your dressing.

• Wash your hands carefully
• Wash your scissors with hot water and washing up liquid.

• Carefully remove the dressing by peeling off the tape and lifting off the dressing.
• Do not touch your wound.

• If there is any dry blood, gently clean it with sterile gauze and slightly salted water that you have boiled and allowed to cool down.
• Dry the toe thoroughly with sterile gauze. Take care not to touch the wound.

• Make two small cuts on a new dressing to create a flap. Do not touch the sterile pad of the dressing.

• Remove the backing and apply the dressing. Make sure the sterile pad is directly over the wound. Make sure the flap points towards the tip of the toe. Bring the sides in first, and then wrap the top over.

Dressing care

You can watch an information video on dressing care by clicking on the photo below. 

Monitor your wound

Check your toe for signs of infection. These include:

• redness
• hot to touch
• swelling
• pain 
• bad smelling discharge.

Wound healing

Your wound will start to dry out after 3 to 4 weeks, but it can take up to 16 weeks.

• Keep applying a fresh dressing every 2 days until your wound is healed.
• The wound is completely healed when a black scab has formed, and there is no weeping or mark left on the dressing when you take it off.
• Do not touch or pick at the scab. This may cause infection.
• The scab will drop off naturally, but this takes a little longer.

When your wound has completely healed, you can stop applying dressings and keep your toe uncovered. You can also get your toe wet again, in a bath or shower or by swimming.

More information

Kingston Hospital information on toenail surgery

If you are worried about your toe after nail surgery, make a GP appointment or use our self-referral form to contact us.