Ever torn a toenail off? NO PICS

[AreaCode707]

I am a dumbass. Ripped a big toenail off all the way to the base. It's still attached at the base, except for the very edges that tore. Got it all antiseptic, topical pennicillin, guazed and taped back into place. Hurts like a sumbitch but not as bad as I expected. Yes, I made a stop at the nurse's hotline before posting. Seems like the recommendation is 50/50 take care of it myself versus see a doctor.

Anyone else ever tore a toenail off? Did you doctor up or not? What am I in for getting it to grow back?

I should've known something like this would happen the moment I bought a cute pair of sandals...

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Update1:
Well, the nail is still attached at the base but it's definitely not attached anywhere up to the tip. If not taped down, it floats up about 1/8". Doesn't hurt, and the skin under the nail is healthy (I can peer into it, weird...) thanks to hydrogen peroxide and topical penicillin. Thanks for all the help, guys!

 

[SandEagle]

 

[aceO07]

It'll take over a month to grow back. The skin grow back and harden slowly until it's the toenail you're used to.

 

[dardarla]

I got an ingrown toenail + infection once.

The main thing growing back is preventing it from becoming ingrown ie. nail growing under skin. If that happens you'll have to see a doctor to have that part of the nail removed.

As long as it grows back in one solid chuck it should be fine, just pay close attention. You can soak it in salt water to prevent/kill any potential infection.

Also there is a product called "ingow" that apparently help prevents in grown nails.. but I think it's intended for minor hang nails etc.

 

[Crono]

Nail avulsion is painful.

I would see a podiatrist if you notice the area becoming discolored or infected. Otherwise I wouldn't do anything.

 

[aceO07]

I'd had both big toenails off before (basketball and hiking). If the nail was still attached, I soaked it in alcohol or hydrogen peroxide often. After a few days I'd rip the hanging nail off and just let it grow a new one. Be sure to keep it clean!

 

[AreaCode707]

Tx guys. I'm hoping that the existing nail taped down will help it grow back in the proper place and shape.

 

[eplebnista]

Yes, when I was 8. Don't remember much except that it hurt extremely bad. I was not able to use but one leg at the time due to having perthes and was supposed to be on crutches but decided to hop from the living room across a gas floor furnace grill in a hall to get to the kitchen and dropped my foot a little too far on one hop and rip, the big toe's nail was removed.

 

[Kelvrick]

I've never torn it off, but I've had it come off before.

I played basketball in what must have been ill-fitting shoes. Came back and my toe hurt for a while and it started turning all black and blue. Then, one day when pulling on a pair of jeans, it must have caught because the whole thing came flying off.

Underneath was about half an inch of new toenail and weird toe flesh.

Only thing I remember doing is throwing a bunch of hydrogen peroxide on it when I got back from the courts and then again when the dead one fell off.

 

[lupi]

pics?

 

[fatpat268]

So long as it doesn't hurt too much, just leave the nail alone. In a few days it will probably fall off on its own. Just be careful when putting socks on so that it doesn't get snagged.

Once it is off, just make sure you keep it clean. It'll take several months for the nail to come back.

 

[AreaCode707]

It's starting to hurt like fvck now. Icing it makes it better but it kills every time I take the ice off. Looks like I'll be low on sleep this week, which sucks considering I'm down to the last two weeks at my job and need to do a tip top job at producing documentation for the transition.

 

[ecom]

For me, it takes about 14 months to grow a new, complete, big toe nail. I didn't tear it off per se, but I injured it in such a way that it left a good, indelible, indicator of how long it took for a new nail to grow.

 

[I Saw OJ]

I've had my big toenail removed 3 different times 2 on the right once on the left. First time I had it done it was at a general practitioners office and they didnt know wtf they were doing. It hurt like hell, felt like I was in a civil war hospital getting my leg cut off.

 

[bobsmith1492]

I lost mine twice. The first time it got loose, then I accidentally bumped something with my foot, looked down, and the nail was on the floor. It grew back completely within a year, no problems at all.

Exactly one year later I hurt it again, but it didn't come off completely; part of it stayed attached. It didn't grow back correctly after that and is now a big, thick claw-looking thing. The doctor said it's probably a fungus that gets into the nail bed when they're damaged.

So... I would make sure it comes all the way off, give it plenty of fresh air (not wrapped up with bandaids or anything), and let it do its thing.

 

[dfuze]

Not ripped off but had some huge piece of heavy metal fall on it from a press, crushed it and turned it black. Didn't fall off, but eventually healed after a couple weeks.

 

[highland145]

Normal collection technique in my business. Don't miss your payments again.

 

[gorcorps]

Yes. Hurt like a mother fucker, and bled more than I thought I could bleed without passing out.

 

[Imp]

No, but I've bruised/damaged a few so bad that they eventually came off on their own.

 

[RearAdmiral]

I tore off my thumb nail on my right hand. Felt brutal. I just went to this family friend nurse, and she pulled it off as it was only hanging on by a thread. We gauzed and wrapped it up and that was that. Just need to keep the infections out.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have, well, most of the way off anyway. I just taped it and kept it clean. Eventually the entire nail will come off but that's better than tearing it the rest of the way off.

It will grow back.

 

[SagaLore]

Yes, more than once. As a kiddo I had my toe smashed, it bruised all under the nail, eventually separated and came off. It grew out, wasn't bonded to the nail bed, fell off again. Years later the same thing happened. I also had the same thing happen to my fingernail as well.

 

[spidey07]

Go to a podiatrist today or really soon. They will be able to get in there and really clean things out to make sure the new nail grows in properly.

I had a doctor rip off my big toe nail once, he was a general practitioner and really messed things up. My podiatrist was able to "fix" what he screwed up a few days later because I was in so much pain. There is a lot of tissue and stuff in the nail bed that must be properly taken care of.

Also risk of infection is VERY high so make sure you scrub it every morning/evening and keep it clean and sealed up. I wouldn't wear enclosed shoes on that foot. When I had mine I was walking around in a full suit with a sandal on my left foot.

 

[69Mach1]

I smashed my big toe once, nail turned black and fell off. I cleaned it up and superglued it back in place. It stayed in place until a new nail grew in, the new nail grew out under the old one. Once it got long enough, the old one popped off. Worked like a charm.

 

[2Dead]

Did so when I was younger, don't even remember how old I was. I was opening a door and opened it right over my big toe and sheared the nail off. My dad carried me to our doctor as his office was only a short distance away.