Nail Conditions

Expert Nail Care & Advanced Nail Surgery at The London Podiatry Centre

The London Podiatry Centre treats all types of nail problems — from ingrown and fungal nails to trauma, deformity, and nail growths.

Our state-of-the-art clinic in London provides advanced podiatric care that goes far beyond the standard services offered by most practices. We can also treat bone-related nail deformities and remove cysts or growths in our on-site theatre.

For fungal infections, we use the latest cold laser technology, offering a safe and effective alternative to tablets. We also manage skin growths around the nail using cryotherapy or minor surgery, depending on your needs.

Whatever your nail issue, we provide expert, one-stop care — from diagnosis to treatment — all under one roof.

Fungal Nail Infections (Onychomycosis)

Fungal nails are one of the most common conditions we treat. These infections often result in discoloured, thickened, brittle, or crumbling nails and can be both unsightly and persistent. At our Centre, we offer:

Cold Laser Therapy: A cutting-edge, non-invasive laser system that targets fungal spores within the nail without causing damage to surrounding tissue. This highly effective treatment becomes even more successful when combined with topical or oral therapies.
Laboratory Nail Testing: We take precise nail samples to identify the specific organism causing the infection, allowing us to tailor your treatment for maximum success.

Ingrown Toenails & Nail Deformities

From ingrown toenails to thickened, damaged, or misshapen nails, we offer a range of surgical and non-surgical solutions designed to relieve pain and restore normal nail growth:

Specialist Debridement: Our podiatrists use precision instruments to reduce nail thickness, remove damaged tissue, and improve appearance and comfort.
Surgical Nail Correction: Unlike many clinics that only offer phenolisation (a chemical matrixectomy to stop regrowth), we provide a full suite of advanced nail surgeries, including:
Winograd Procedure – ideal for recurrent ingrown toenails.
Frost Procedure – often used for more severe nail deformities.
Customised Nail Surgery Plans – tailored to your specific condition and medical needs.

Phenol Matrixectomy Surgical Procedure For Ingrown Toenails

Nail surgery using Phenol application is the most commonly performed nail surgery procedure. This involves either the partial removal or the total removal of the affected toenail, before applying a strong chemical called Phenol to the nail matrix (which is the ‘root’ of the nail), to ensure there is no future growth of the pathological nail.

Our team combines years of clinical expertise with the latest technology in podiatric nail surgery and fungal nail treatment. Whether you’re struggling with chronic nail pain, persistent fungal infections, or unsightly nail deformities, we provide long-term solutions designed to restore both function and appearance.

A local anaesthetic is given either around the offending toe or at the ankle to numb the skin and deeper tissues.
Once the foot is numb, a surgical tool is used to separate the nail from the underlying nail bed. If a partial technique is performed, the pathological nail section will be cut from the healthy section down to the nail matrix, before being excised.
Once the pathological nail or section of nail has been removed, Phenol is applied to the nail matrix, preventing regrowth of the nail.
The remaining soft tissues are flushed out with a sterile saline solution to ensure all pathological tissues have been removed
A sterile dressing is then applied.
Several follow-up appointments with your podiatrist will then be performed to ensure appropriate healing.

Phenol matrixectomy is relatively low-risk.
The surgery time is minimal.
The surgery may be performed concurrently with an infection treatment.
Phenolisation can be performed concomitantly with infection treatment.
Relapses are infrequent.
Post-operative pain is generally minimal.

Risks and complications are uncommon, but they can include:

Adverse reaction to the local anaesthetic
Soft tissue infection
Phenol burn
Slow or delayed healing
Recurrence or regression of the ingrown toenail
Damage to the remaining nail plate
Thrombosis
Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Frost & Winograd Surgical Procedures For Ingrown Toenails

The Frost and Winograd procedures involve the partial removal of the toenail, the nail matrix (which is the ‘root’ of the nail) and surrounding soft tissues, to ensure there is no future growth of the pathological nail section.

Such procedures are more invasive than traditional nail surgery procedures which utilise chemical matrixectomy using a strong chemical called Phenol. Frost and Winograd procedures are typically indicated in patients who have an allergy to Phenol, when Phenol has failed to prevent the regrowth of the ingrown toenail or when a large defect to the nail or surrounding tissues needs to be removed as part of the procedure.

A local anaesthetic is given either around the offending toe or at the ankle to numb the skin and deeper tissues.
Once your foot is numb, both techniques use a scalpel to cut longitudinally through the nail and nail matrix. The Winograd then utilises an elliptical cut through the surrounding skin, removing the offending nail and soft tissues. Whereas the Frost procedure uses an angled scalpel incision at the nail matrix, creating a skin flap.
Surgical tools are then used to ‘rasp’ the affected section of the nail matrix, preventing regrowth of the nail.
The remaining soft tissues are flushed out with a sterile saline solution to ensure all pathological tissues have been successfully excised.
Several stitches are then administered to hold the skin and nail in place.
A sterile dressing is then applied.
Several follow-up appointments with your podiatrist will then be performed to ensure appropriate healing.

Both procedures can be performed to revise previously failed nail surgery techniques.
The Winograd can be used to address severe cases of chronic ingrown toenails, where there is a significant amount of hyper granulation tissue.
Both procedures are performed in our special day surgery unit, ensuring optimal infection control practices but without the need for hospital admission.
Unlike typical nail surgery procedures, phenol chemical matrixectomy is not performed. Such chemical matrixectomies often result in longer healing times and incur risks of chemical burns.

Risks and complications are uncommon, but they can include:

Adverse reaction to the local anaesthetic or sutures
Soft tissue or bone infection
Painful scar formation
Recurrence or regression of the ingrown toenail
Damage to the remaining nail plate
Thrombosis
Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)

Other Nail Conditions

The London Podiatry Centre treats many forms of different nail pathology. Examples include:

Some patients complain of discolouration of the nail, in which case careful consideration has to be given to some types of skin cancer. However, this is a rare condition. In most cases discolouration is due to a fungal infection or trauma. Lanula cold laser treatment, offered at the Centre is often effective at dealing with this condition.

Other conditions include the build-up of callus and corns at the side of the nails and this is called onychophosis. The London podiatry Centre offers specific type of surgery for this condition.

This is when a small fibrous module grows at the site or underneath the nail and these types of problems require surgery which is performed at our Centre.

This is a severe deformity of the nail. This condition is also known as a ram’s horn nail and requires reduction, and in some cases surgery.

This is a nail abnormality that is reflective with a more general abnormality in the patient’s health. Certain types of anaemia can cause the nail to become spoon shaped and in other cases, the nail can become very clubbed which is sometimes associated with certain heart conditions.

The practitioners at The London Podiatry Centre have many years of experience in dealing with every type of nail condition. Please do contact us if you require further information.