Help....what do you do when toenail falls off...

[MissManda]

So...my 15 year olds toenail fell off (the toe beside his big toe). I have never seen this happen before. I'm sure he must have injured it playing soccer. But, now that it's gone, what do we do??? We cleaned it, put neosporin on it, and covered with a bandaid. Is there anything else to do other than watch it???

 

[Agri]

I lost a toenail last year and it's grown back without me doing much other than keeping it covered with the self-stick wrap because the bed is so darn sensitive when it isn't covered.

 

[Jaya]

Just keep a close eye on the new toenail growing to make sure it doesn't "in-grow".

 

[Cinderella94]

My pinky toenails always fall off (I blame my dad--weird genes ). But I just leave it alone and it always turns out fine.

 

[redrosesix]

Keep it covered with a bandaid until it grows back. The toenail really protects your toe, and anything dropping on that toe, or sometimes just touching it, is going to hurt ALOT.

I agree -- he must have injured it. Mine fell off about 2 weeks after I had injured it, but it did grow back (although it seemed like it took forever).

 

[beatlesblonde]

I had a piece of concrete block fall on my foot years ago and took one of my toenails completely off (managed to get it right at the cuticle). We cleaned it up, bandaged it and made sure to not to hit it while it was healing. It eventually grew back (it was about half grown in 6-8 weeks but it was a smaller toe so not as much to grow back than the big toe). Like someone else said, watch it and make sure it doesn't become an in-grown nail.

 

[low-key]

I chew on it

 

[Sabeking]

I have lost six!!! Running hazard. It happens to at least one toe when I run a full or half marathon. I just kept it clean. Sometimes wore a bandaid; other times not. It will more grow back in time

 

[tvguy]

Keep it covered with a bandaid until it grows back. The toenail really protects your toe, and anything dropping on that toe, or sometimes just touching it, is going to hurt ALOT.

I agree -- he must have injured it. Mine fell off about 2 weeks after I had injured it, but it did grow back (although it seemed like it took forever).

I just lost a toe nail for the second time, different toes. I would not cover it up, that skin that is normally under the toe nail is like leather and not very senstive. Not much is going to hurt it, and a bandaid certainly isn't going do anything to prevent an injury.

 

[Disney Doll]

What you;re doing is fine.

If he has a problem with the bandaid staying on, they make things called "finger cots" which can be cut a little shorter and used on toes They are usually in the vicinitt of the bandaids or sometimes near the foot care stuff at the Pharmacy. It's like a little sock thhat goes eight over the whole toe.

 

[Christine]

I had a toenail removed after contracting a toenail fungus from my very first-ever pedicure (never got another one of those!!!). Anyway, I couldn't tolerate the Lamisil very well, so the podiatrist just removed the toenail. Best thing I ever did.

At first, the nail bed was very raw and tender so I wore a bandage and bandaid for about two weeks. I also used bacitracin on it. After that it sort of toughened up and I really didn't need to wear anything and the area was not tender.

 

[MissManda]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Sounds like we are doing the right things! Right now the nail bed just looks sort of raw, so we will keep ointment on it to keep it clear of infection and bandaged up.

Now, just to wait for the nail to grow back and hope its not in-grown.

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