Recovery time after ingrown toenail surgery for a school-aged daughter?

[GreenHolly]

My DD needs ingrown toenail surgery. Does anyone know from experience what the recovery was like?

Eg how long it was painful for, how long before she could go back to a normal school shoe?

I know everyone is different but a rough idea would be helpful.

We were offered a date at the beginning of her study leave for mocks and she wants it done then. It’s not infected and not causing her pain unless she knocks it.

The main drive for doing it now is so that she doesn’t need to wear a non-school shoe to school and everyone ask about it. Thanks

The two people I know who have similar surgery have both been back to pretty much all their usual activities in less than a week. Obviously nothing too strenuous like walking the dog for hours or going to the gym but they were fine to resume day to day living and both were back to work the same week.

I would imagine she would be fine in a comfortable school shoe or black trainers after a week or so. If she's on study leave she would probably be fine to wear her normal shoes if she's only going in for exams?

At our school, we’ve had plenty of children with that procedure. As you say, recovery time varies. We’ve had children off for a week and then back in school in normal shoes, some wear socks and sliders for 6 weeks and others crocs for a couple of weeks then back to normal school shoes.

I don’t think there’s a normal. It’s whatever has worked for the child - or the parent.

I had it done when I worked in school. I had 2 days off but was still doing school run etc. Mostly so no one stood on my foot. The bandages were quite big, but it was fine for me to wear boots. I guess it depends on the footwear rule and how she feels about wearing something different if she needs to

Thanks. I think I’m worried the pain would distract from her exam performance and preparation. She wants to do medicine - these are a level mocks so she needs good predicted grades.

I think school would be fine about what ever shoe is most comfortable.

the issue about wearing a different school and the attention it would bring is playing on her mind a lot.

It depends totally on whether it's both feet, how far she has to walk and the size of the dressings. I had one side done last year and was in open toed sandals the next day and with painkillers was OK. I walked to the chiropodist on day 2 for a dressing change and was in normal shoes after that. When I had the other side done it was a Friday and I drove to work on the Monday in sandals. I passed out during the procedure both times and that was more memorable than any discomfort!

Depends on what technique is being used. A full proper wedge resection by a doctor? Acid by a podiatrist? Personally a full wedge resection meant that I couldn’t wear enclosed shoes for 4 weeks. I could only wear thongs/flip flops or whatever they’re called in your country. I had shitty pain for a few days. My DD has had her toenails done using acid by a podiatrist and was wearing enclosed shoes within about a week. She had little pain.

It’s just one toe on one foot - the big toe, thanks

I’ll check the paperwork

DD has just had both big toes done. We did them separately to keep it easier on her. She's a drama llama with a low pain threshold in general but was completely fine.

I'll be honest, I don't know how it was done. It involved a scalpel with a few incisions and also acid. It healed really well.

She had a day off after each, then back to normal. She was fine getting in, despite her journey being walk, bus, walk to school. She was doing her football again 2 weeks after each. Because her toes had been painful for so long, she said it still felt better than that. Only issue was the day someone accidentally stamped on her toe...

Good luck!

Her toes were heinous though. Constantly infected and really swollen. We went private to speed it up in the end. I can massively see how it hurt her less after.

My child was off thier feet for 24 hours and it hurt less after than bsfore almost immediately. He needed a comfy shoe/open toe for the 'big dressing' which was changed about 4 days later to a small one, which fitted in a more normal shoe.

Thanks for the replies