Routine care
Thickened toenails
A thickened nail is harder to cut, presses inside the shoe and can leave the end of the toe sore. We reduce it with a small drill rather than forcing clippers through it, which is more comfortable and leaves a far better result.
Treatment Summary
How long
30 minutes
What it costs
£35
No new patient fee.
Getting in
Free parking at the Tesco next door, under a minute's walk.
What we do
Does it hurt
No. Reducing a nail with a drill is painless and needs no anaesthetic. Most people say the toe feels better as soon as the pressure comes off.
A short line in a patient's own words goes here, once we have a real one to use.
Placeholder — name and town go here.
Why people come regularly
Nails thicken for a handful of reasons and the reason matters.
An old knock, a fungal infection, psoriasis and plain ageing all thicken a nail, and they are not managed the same way. Working out which one you have is part of the appointment, because it changes what we advise.
Treatment Information
What happens when you come in.
01
We work out why it thickened
A nail that thickened after a knock behaves differently from a fungal one, and only one of those is worth treating with an antifungal. If it is not obvious, we can take a small clipping and have it tested before anyone commits to months of treatment.
02
We cut it back safely
A thick nail is cut with proper nippers rather than household clippers, so it is trimmed rather than crushed. Sharp corners are filed smooth so nothing catches in a sock.
03
We reduce the thickness
The nail is thinned with a small drill until it sits flat in a shoe again. It is painless, and it is the part that makes the difference — the pressure comes off the nail bed and the toe stops being sore.
04
We tell you what to expect
A nail thickened by an old injury will keep growing that way and needs maintaining rather than curing. A fungal one can improve with treatment, though it takes the best part of a year to grow out. We will tell you honestly which of those you are looking at.
What you can do between appointments
Get it looked at sooner if…
Any of these change what we do and how quickly we do it. Ring us rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Online booking opens soon
Our appointment diary is not open just yet. Leave your details and be the first to know when it opens, so you can pick a time that suits you, evenings and weekends included.
Diary opening soonOr ring 07838 652554 and we will find you a time.
Rather talk to someone?
Ring during opening hours and you will speak to a person. Home visits are arranged this way.
Coming back
How often, and who is doing it.
How often should you come?
Once a nail is thickened it grows that way, so this is maintenance rather than a cure. Most people are comfortable for six to ten weeks after it has been reduced, and then start to notice the pressure again.
If the thickening turns out to be fungal there is treatment worth trying alongside the reducing, and we will go through it with you. Either way, the reducing is what makes the toe comfortable now.
Who is doing the cutting
Anyone can call themselves a foot health practitioner. Podiatrist and chiropodist are protected titles — only someone registered with the Health and Care Professions Council is allowed to use them.
- HCPC registered, number CH33662.
- BSc (Hons) Podiatry.
- Registration is public. You can check ours on the HCPC register .
Questions
Things people ask about thickened nails.
We would not. Forcing clippers through a thick nail crushes it and often splits it further back. We use proper nippers and then a drill to take the bulk out, which is more comfortable and leaves a much better result.
Sometimes. A knock years ago and ordinary ageing do much the same thing to a nail. If we are not certain we can send a clipping for testing, which is worth doing before starting months of antifungal treatment.
If the nail bed itself was damaged, the nail will keep growing thickened whatever we do — which is fine, as long as it is kept reduced. If it is fungal and caught reasonably early, there is a fair chance of clear new growth.
Very rarely. Removing a nail is for one causing a problem we cannot manage any other way, and it is done under local anaesthetic. Reducing it usually does the job with a great deal less involved.
Yes. Home visits are £55 for the same thirty minutes, and the drill comes with us.
Still have a question?
Ask it here and we will come back to you by email, usually the same working day. If it is urgent, calling is quicker.
Online booking opens soon
Our appointment diary is not open just yet. Leave your details and be the first to know when it opens, so you can pick a time that suits you, evenings and weekends included.
Diary opening soonOr ring 07838 652554 and we will find you a time.
Rather talk to someone?
Ring during opening hours and you will speak to a person. Home visits are arranged this way.
Thickened toenails
in Chester-le-Street
Our clinic is in Chester-le-Street, right next to Tesco, so parking is free and it is less than a minute's walk from the car park to our door. We also see people from the towns and villages around it, and visit at home across the same area.