How to Remove Toenails
The removal of a toenail is a medical procedure called matricectomy. A matricectomy is performed in the case of severe fungal infection, ingrown nails or nail injury. Doctors will use chemical removal or laser treatment to remove what is called the nail matrix. Removing a toenail is not something you should try to do yourself. You can cause severe injury and permanent damage otherwise.
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Instructions
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Find a podiatrist, which is a physician who specializes in the treatment of the lower leg, foot and ankle. To find a podiatrist near you, go to the American Podiatric Medical Association website (see Resources). Click on "Find a Podiatrist." On the next screen, enter your city, state and the first three digits of your zip code. Then press "Search." On the next page, you will see a list of podiatrists and contact numbers for each.
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Contact a podiatrist. When you talk to the receptionist, tell her you would like to make an appointment to see the physician. The receptionist will probably ask your symptoms and they will schedule you in for an appointment.
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Go to your appointment. Tell the podiatrist all your symptoms such as pain, swelling, difficulty walking and any discharge coming from the area. He will look at your toenails and decide whether a matricectomy is right for you. If this is the case, they may reschedule you to come back for a future appointment to receive the surgery.
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Tips & Warnings
Recovery times for a matricectomy are two to three weeks. And on the second week, the podiatrist will most likely call you back to the clinic to make sure that the area is healing properly.
