A nail reconstruction is the restoration of a previously damaged or traumatised nail. Although building up a prosthesis on the nail is mostly done for cosmetic purposes, occasionally, when the nail damage could turn into an ingrown nail, it can be seen as a health treatment in order to prevent a painful condition. 

If you just have a brittle nail plate or your nail plate is healthy but has split into two parts, you may just need an extra-thin nail strengthening treatment on your nail. 

Toenail reconstruction can be necessary for both cosmetic and medical reasons.

For cosmetic purposes, nail reconstruction using the Wilde Pedique, Gehwol or Arkada systems is a great option for you if:

• you have a damaged nail which needs to grow out again
• you have a traumatised nail matrix, which means your nail grows differently, doesn't grow at all, or has an abnormal shape or growth
• you have had a fungal infection treatment, thus your nail plate has been debrided. Your nail is healed, the infection has gone but it takes time until the new, healthy nail plate grows back.

You may also need nail reconstruction for medical reasons. The Wilde Pedique, Gehwol or Arkada systems can support your damaged or traumatised nail while the nail plate regrows. The process can take at least 6-12 months.

• The nail plate may need a thicker covering or may need to be built up in parts. The gel can close the nail bed against moisture which helps prevent fungal infection.
• You may need a bigger addition to the natural nail plate if it is curved or involuted. Missing parts of the nail plate increase the risk of a painful ingrown nail. The added gel fills the edge and side of the natural nail plate and keeps the nail fold away, preventing the sharp nail from growing into the skin. 

Nail reconstruction can be applied when the entire nail has been removed permanently (a total nail avulsion), but it is unlikely the nail will stay in situ longer than a day. This is due to the natural oils secreted and the skin shedding process, which means the resin is not able to bind to skin for an extended length of time. In this case, it can be advised to use a hypoallergenic nail glue to glue the nail back to the nail bed for a temporary period of time.

Before starting the process and building up a missing part or layer, I need to assess the condition of the natural nail plate. There are some cases when it is not recommended to have this treatment, such as when there is an existing fungal infection or any type of nail infection.   

This is the process of toenail reconstruction:

• The nail is prepared by the professional by removing any loose nail and reducing the thickness if needed. The surface of the nail is filed to produce a rough exterior.
• The area is cleaned by removing any dirt or oil followed by disinfection.
• A base product is applied to the surface of the nail in order to dehydrate it. This helps the resin bind to the nail plate.
• A resin is applied in liquid form onto the surface of the natural nail/ nail bed. The gel is applied in layers using UV light to harden it after each layer.
• Once the nail is formed into an appropriate thickness, it is shaped and smoothed over.
• Upon request, a shiny top layer can be applied.

• The reconstructed nail applied using Wilde Pedique, Gehwol or Arkada systems looks and feels like a natural nail.
• You can feel more self-confident about your nail.
• The new nail is flexible so it can move naturally as the toe or finger moves.
• Each system is hypoallergenic with no added harmful chemicals.
• The natural nail and nail bed remain undamaged.
• The new nail can be treated in exactly the same way as the previous natural nail.

Yes, an advantage of nail reconstruction is that it can be painted with nail varnish in the same way as a natural nail. However, I do not recommend applying gel varnish as it is necessary to get rid of the color layer quite often in order to check the artificial nail and the nail bed underneath it.