Surgical Podiatry
NAIL SURGERY
Surgical Podiatry – The most common problem that requires nail surgery is an ingrowing toenail. Poor nail cutting technique or awkwardly shaped or damaged nails is usually the cause of ingrowing toenails. These toenails frequently become infected and are often very painful. Doctors, foot health practitioners, or other podiatrists often refer patients to us for nail surgery.
At Medipod Clinics, we use local anaesthetic to carry out your nail procedure. The section of the nail that is digging in is cut away and a chemical is applied in the nail root to stop the nail from growing back. It usually takes less than an hour and we would ask you to return for re-dressing appointments. Healing usually takes place within 4-6 weeks. In most cases this will cure the problem and stop the nail in the painful area growing back.
SKIN TAG REMOVAL
Skin tags are small growths that tend to hang off your skin. They are usually found on the neck, armpits, around the groin, under the breasts or behind the knee.
In the clinic, we may use local anaesthetic or local anaesthetic cream to either surgically remove your skin tags or burn them off using electrocautery. The procedure takes only a few seconds and there is hardly any bleeding. There may be some scabbing following the procedure, but that will reduce within a couple of weeks.
Please note that Podiatrists can only remove your skin tags if they are below the knee joint. For all the skin tags in the rest of the body, a doctor with special interest in Dermatology is providing this treatment for us in the clinic.
For more information please visit our Skin Tags page or email us [email protected].
ELECTROSURGERY OR NEEDLING FOR VERRUCAS
For verrucas that don’t respond to other treatments, we may recommend a minor surgical procedure such as electrosurgery or Faulkner’s needling.
Electrosurgery
This involves carefully removing (excising) the verruca from the sole of the foot using a fine electrical instrument. It allows for complete removal of the affected tissue.
Faulkner’s Needling
This method uses a very fine needle to puncture the verruca multiple times. The goal is to push tiny amounts of the virus deeper into the skin, where the immune system is more active—helping your body recognise and fight off the virus more effectively.
What to Expect
These procedures are always carried out under local anaesthetic, which means only the area around the verruca is numbed.
You’ll be awake throughout, and although you might feel some movement, you won’t feel any pain during the procedure.
Healing time usually takes 5 to 14 days, depending on the size of the verruca and your body’s healing response.
Follow-up appointments are important to monitor healing and check for any signs of recurrence.
These treatments can be very effective for persistent verrucas, and your podiatrist will discuss whether they’re suitable for you.
The procedure takes about 15 minutes however expect to be with us for 60 minutes. For more information please see our Verruca Treatments page.