TMI my toenail is coming off....

[Melaine]

Sorry this is so gross but....

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I stubbed my toe the other day (on the learning tower btw) and it hurt. Later I realized my toenail was very loose. Just now I snagged it again and the entire thing is barely intact and there is blood all the way around it. Any words of wisdom? I am definitely losing the nail...anything I should do to prevent infection and protect it. DH said put a bandaid on it. Wow...what sound and very helpful medical advice (sarcasm).

It's my baby toe....Thanks for any tips!

[tnrnchick74]

There isn't much you can do. It will take quite awhile for the toe nail to regrow - sometimes up to 1 year!

I recommend antibiotic ointment while the "quick" is still bleeding/open/raw + a bandaid.

After it heals a bit, cuticle cream or vit e oil onto the bare nailbed and keep protected (bandaid, tubular gauze, corn cover, etc).

[Melaine]

Up to a year, for real? What a bummer. I love the LT, but Geez Louise. Now it will look weird if I paint them and weird if I don't.
Thanks, I will do what you said.

[roobee]

I think you can buy fake press-on toe nails.

Sorry - that sucks! ouch!

[writermama]

I lost my big toe nail after dropping a 45 pound free-weight plate on it. IIRC, treatment was antiseptic cream, gauze pad wrap at first, gradually working down to a band-aid, and waiting for it to grow back. It seemed like it took forever, but I'm pretty sure it was less than a year. now, looking a them, I can't even remember which one it was.

[Melaine]

yikes a 45 lb weight plate on your big toe....that's awful!

[aks226]

I've lost my little toe nails more times than I can remember. I am not graceful by any means and my poor toes take the brunt of it.

While the nail bed is still soft and I'm wearing closed up shoes, I will bandaid it, but when I've got some time to run around barefooted or in flipflops I let it get some air so it toughens up. I've never had an infection, but I have noticed the nail is a bit thicker each time it comes back.

Hope it feels better soon!

[DietCokeLover]

Ow! Bless your heart. Hope it heals quickly.

[Gena]

I lost the nail on one of my big toes when I was a little kid - about 5 years old I think. I dropped a dresser drawer on it. I had to have nail removed at the doctor's office. It was a very traumatic experience for me at the time, but thankfully I don't remember all the details now.

My toenail grew back of course, but it's a different shape and much thicker than the others.

I hope your toe feels better soon!

[bubbaray]

My DH loses toenails ALLLLLL the time. In fact, he has a missing one now. Honestly, it makes me gag. And, yes, it takes about a year to grow in -- just in time for him to lose one again!

[MamaMolly]

Owie, owie, owie! I'm so sorry. No advice, but it sounds so painful. Hope it feels better soon.

[ThreeofUs]

No advice, just a {{hug}} and some commiseration.

OUCH! I know *exactly* how that feels! Have some wine - it's good for many ailments!

:54:

[dcmom2b3]

IME, get thee to a podiatrist. I had a similar situation, and the podiatrist told me that leaving the old nail on there could permanently affect how my nail grew in.

I had it removed, and had a creepy "I have half a tonail" phase, but it was 25 years ago, and I haven't had any problems since.

[3blackcats]

I split my big toe all the way up and it hurt so bad. The toenail was still hanging on, so the pedicure woman put an acrylic nail on it. Then it could grow. Once it grew out long enough I just pulled the fake one off.