Surgery questions (read description)

Hi ppl, so I do modelling/includes foot modelling. I’ve had an ingrown toenails for about four years I haven’t had surgery but I had an assessment with a podiatrist who said I can go ahead with surgery if I wanted to. He said they use a chemical that stops the nail from growing back but I don’t want to loose my natural toe nail or for it to look weirdly shaped.

Has anyone had their natural nail grow back? With having the surgery did you get any infections (such as sepsis) or any other issues? I know they say you shouldn’t but for the past 4 years I’ve been getting them out myself, bought ingrown toenail drops, patches, Epsom salt foot soaks but nothing has worked. I’ve heard like a mixture of stories about ingrown removals and I just don’t know what I should do.