Acne can be persistent and difficult to manage, especially when it leads to scarring, inflammation, and deep breakouts. Medium to deep chemical peels offer an advanced treatment option that targets severe acne, clogged pores, and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. These peels penetrate deeper into the skin layers, effectively removing damaged skin cells, regulating oil production, and stimulating skin renewal for a clearer, smoother complexion. Medium to deep peels use stronger exfoliating agents such as trichloroacetic acid (TCA), phenol, or high-strength salicylic acid to reach the mid to lower dermis, making them effective for stubborn acne, deep scars, and long-term skin rejuvenation.

Nail surgery at Claire Derma addresses conditions that conservative treatments have failed to resolve — recurrent ingrown toenails, nail plate deformities caused by trauma or chronic fungal infection, and subungual lesions that require biopsy or excision. Ingrown nails are the most common presentation: the lateral edge of the nail plate penetrates the surrounding skin fold, triggering pain, swelling, and in many cases secondary bacterial infection.

These peels work by deeply penetrating the skin to:

Deep Exfoliation – Exfoliate dead skin layers and remove acne-causing debris.

Bacteria & Inflammation Control – Destroy acne-causing bacteria, reducing inflammation.

Pore Unclogging & Oil Regulation – Unclog pores and regulate oil production, preventing future breakouts.

Collagen Boost for Scar Reduction – Stimulate collagen production, helping to heal acne scars.

Severity Grading – Each ingrown nail is classified by stage to guide treatment intensity. Stage one may still respond to conservative care, while stages two and three with infection and tissue hypertrophy benefit.

Nail Dermoscopy – Magnified examination of the nail plate reveals features like pitting, longitudinal ridging, oil-drop discolouration, and pigmented bands.

Infection Assessment – Swollen, tender, or purulent nail folds are cultured before surgery to identify the causative organism.

Assessment at Claire Derma begins with a thorough examination of the nail unit and surrounding soft tissue. For ingrown nails, we grade the severity using the Heifetz classification — stage one involves erythema and mild swelling, stage two adds infection and granulation tissue, and stage three presents with chronic hypertrophy of the lateral nail fold.

Deep Skin Cleansing – Intense exfoliation, clearing out deep-rooted impurities.

Cystic Acne Reduction – Reduction in cystic and nodular acne, decreasing painful breakouts.

Sebum & Oil Control – Oil regulation, balancing sebum production to prevent acne recurrence.

Skin Smoothing & Scar Healing – Smoother skin texture, reducing roughness and acne scars.

Partial Nail Avulsion with Phenolisation – The lateral nail strip is separated from the bed using a nail elevator and removed with a straight haemostat.

Total Nail Avulsion – The entire nail plate is lifted from the bed and removed when the nail is too dystrophic to salvage.

Nail Bed Repair – Traumatic nail bed lacerations or subungual haematomas involving more than fifty percent of the nail area are repaired surgically.

Surgical technique at Claire Derma is selected based on the condition and the patient's long-term needs. For recurrent ingrown toenails, partial nail avulsion with phenol matricectomy is our standard approach — the offending lateral strip of nail is removed, and liquefied phenol is applied to the corresponding matrix horn to destroy the germinal cells permanently.

Clears Severe Acne – Effective for cystic, hormonal, and treatment-resistant acne.

Prevents Future Breakouts – Regulates sebum and bacteria growth, preventing future breakouts.

Reduces Acne Scars – Stimulates collagen production, helping to heal acne scars.

Benefit – Permanent narrowing of the nail through matrix ablation eliminates the chronic cycle of ingrowth, infection, and antibiotic use.

Benefit – Nail biopsy performed during surgery provides histological diagnosis for unexplained nail changes. Early detection of subungual melanoma — a rare but serious condition — depends on biopsy of suspicious pigmented.

Benefit – Removing a severely dystrophic nail plate eliminates a reservoir for chronic fungal infection. With the diseased nail gone, topical antifungal agents can penetrate the nail bed directly, and the new.

Professional nail surgery at Claire Derma resolves conditions that topical treatments and repeated GP visits cannot fix. Patients with recurrent ingrown toenails often endure months of antibiotics, warm soaks, and temporary relief before being referred for surgery that should have been offered earlier.

This treatment is ideal for individuals who:

Struggle with moderate to severe acne or deep acne scars.

Experience frequent cystic or nodular breakouts.

Post-operative care for nail surgery at Claire Derma is straightforward but must be followed carefully to ensure clean healing. After phenol matricectomy, the toe is dressed with a non-adherent pad and tubular bandage. The wound produces a serous discharge for two to four weeks as the phenol-treated matrix heals by secondary intention — this is normal and expected.