Toe Nail Coming Off... What Do I Do?!

[BigGingerBob]

Hello everyone,

About two months ago I dropped a fence post whilst working in the garden. I was wearing my safety Vans and it landed fully on my big toe. That was the only part of me it hit. It bloody hurt and over the next week it went black.

I thought I was getting away with it because it stopped hurting and the bruising went down but was still visible.

But then I went to the beach.

I looked down and there was a load of sand underneath. I'm not generally squeamish but I felt a bit sick. I immediately washed it out using the foot wash tap.

This evening when doing some pruning in the garden when kneeling I caught it on the lawn and it's lifted up a lot!

What do I do?!

Photos for the non squeamish but it doesn't look that bad.

[Inspire]

Assuming it is not painful, I’d leave it to fall off. The nail should regrow underneath. This happens a lot to marathon runners (ask me how I know!)

Rob

[Super Sonic]

It will fall off then a new one will grow. I have lost both my thumbnails. One time I put my thumb through a bead roller, it swelled up and at hospital they had to drill a small hole in my thumbnail and squeeze all the liquid out. It really hurt!

Edited by Super Sonic on Saturday 22 August 21:12

[shtu]

Inspire said:

leave it to fall off.

That's what I've done in the past. Eventually it'll drop off.

[Belle427]

May benefit to bathe it, maybe salt water is good for this?
Lost one playing football years ago, never quite grew back the same as maybe the root was damaged but it came off after a few days from memory.

[AddyT.]

Broke my big toe twice. Second time the nail came off and a new one was underneath but its “dead” after checking it out at the time with a chiropodist.

[bigpriest]

Try a salt water bath, dilute Dettol or antiseptic wash to make sure it doesn't get infected. Keep it clean. Old nail will fall off. Depending on any damage to the nail bed you'll get a nice new nail or a weird one that's a bit thick and warped and may never recover

[xx99xx]

A new one will grow back. I ripped a fingernail out once and after a few weeks of pain, it grew back. Just let things happen naturally, it'll fall off soon enough.

[Hoofy]

NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.

I had a toe that was hanging off due to tight rock climbing shoes but not quite so bad. Nearly as bad. I just removed it. They would have done it at A&E and I couldn't be arsed to wait 48 hours in A&E so I just sat in the bath and did it. It looked like I murdered someone, though. It really fking hurt but I just soldiered through.

So, I advise going to A&E.

[fiatpower]

I’ve lost a few through running. When it’s loose like that it will eventually dry out underneath and fall off. Don’t pull it unless you like pain