Minor Surgery in Bang Tao
Some problems will not settle with a tablet. An abscess that keeps filling, an ingrown toenail that has become too painful to wear a shoe, a lump that catches every time you dry yourself, a piece of glass still in the sole of your foot. Minor surgery in Bang Tao deals with these in a sterile treatment room under local anaesthetic, usually within an hour.
What we do under local anaesthetic
The list covers most of what turns up on a holiday:
- Draining abscesses and infected boils
- Ingrown toenail surgery, including removing part of the nail edge
- Removing small cysts, skin tags and lipomas
- Taking out splinters, glass, coral and fish spines
- Draining infected blisters and haematomas
- Cleaning and closing wounds that need stitches
Abscesses need draining, not just antibiotics
This is worth understanding, because a lot of people arrive after a week of tablets wondering why nothing changed. Antibiotics travel in the blood, and the inside of an abscess has no blood supply to carry them in. A collection of pus has to be opened and drained.
Once drained, the relief is immediate — the pain of an abscess is pressure. The cavity is washed out and sometimes packed with a small wick, which is changed over the following days.
Ingrown toenails in a sandal climate
We see a lot of these. Feet swell in the heat, sandals rub differently from closed shoes, sand gets into the nail fold, and a nail edge that was tolerable at home becomes an infected mess within days.
Digging at it yourself makes it worse. The nail edge is removed under a local anaesthetic block at the base of the toe, which takes about twenty minutes. You walk out, though you should keep it dry and out of the sea for several days.
What happens during the procedure
The area is cleaned and numbed. The anaesthetic injection stings briefly, then the area goes numb and you feel pressure only. You stay awake throughout and can watch or not, as you prefer.
Afterwards the wound is dressed and you are given aftercare instructions, any antibiotics needed, and a follow-up date for a dressing change or suture removal.
What we do not do, and when to go to hospital
We are honest about the limits. Anything needing a general anaesthetic, deeper surgery, or an operating theatre belongs in a hospital, and we will refer you rather than attempt it.
Go to a hospital directly for a wound with bone visible, a deep hand injury affecting movement of a finger, an abscess on the face near the eye, a rapidly spreading infection with fever, or any injury where a tendon may be cut — if you cannot bend or straighten a finger normally, that is a tendon until proven otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
How much does minor surgery cost?
It depends entirely on the procedure. Draining a small abscess is inexpensive; an ingrown toenail with nail-bed treatment costs more. The doctor examines you, then quotes the full price before starting.
Will I be awake?
Yes. Everything is done under local anaesthetic, so the area is numb but you are fully awake and can go home straight afterwards.
Can I swim afterwards?
No, not for several days, and longer for a foot procedure. Sea and pool water infect fresh surgical wounds easily. We will give you a specific date.
Do I need antibiotics as well?
Sometimes. Drained abscesses often do not need them once the pus is out, while infections spreading into surrounding skin do. The doctor decides based on the examination rather than by default.
Is it done at the clinic or can you come to my hotel?
Minor surgery is done at the clinic, where the lighting, positioning and sterile field are right. A doctor hotel visit can handle the follow-up dressings at your room.
Come in, or we come to you
Take Care Medical Clinic Bang Tao is open open 24 hours, 7 days a week on Bandon Road in Cherng Talay, a few minutes from Bang Tao Beach and Laguna Phuket. Walk in without an appointment, call +66 81 718 9080, or message us on WhatsApp. If you would rather not move, ask for a doctor hotel visit and we will come to your room.