How to re-grow a toenail after it's been ripped off (may be TMI)

[Calysto]

I just wanted to say thanks to single mom for the post regarding the toe nail. I recently ripped my big toe's toe nail completley off, and was surprised to find out it would take at least a year (if not more) to grow back.
(Silly doctor said three months..no problem,...grrrrrr...liar)

I have now heard many horror stories from others that had the same thing happen,
(now I understand what an effective torchure ripping someones nail off can be!)
, and was told to go to an estitition to have a "Gel" nail put on once the healing is finished.
This would help the new nail underneath grow strait..

Also word to those that have this happen to them, if you lose your nail you are more susceptible to fungus infections in the future, with the new nail.
Oh Joy!
Cheers!

[LisaJaney]

Oh, Muggle, that's a horrible story. Not because it's graphic, but because I can almost FEEL the pain (a teeny tiny BIT of the pain, that is; nothing compared to what you felt!) Oh my gosh, I'd be screaming and puking, I swear.

My kids and husband are always telling me "you shoudl go down the big slide!" at Silverwood. It's something like a hundred-foot drop or maybe it's more, I dunno. All I know is that they tell you to KEEP YOUR LEGS TOGETHER because the people emerge from the bottom, pulling their shorts and bathingsuits out of their buttcracks. I am sure a person would get a high-powered enema from it all (high colonic, anyone?) I've had those from waterskiing, and don't EVER want another...water just SHOOTING up your hiney....no fun at all, and it hurts like a bugger, too! I politely turn the slide down every single time.

Still and all, the toenail is MUCH worse! I'm so glad it's growing back for you! What Calysto said makes sense, too (about being slightly more susceptible to nail-bed infections), but I'm sure you'll keep an eye on that from now on. Bummer if that's the case, but I'm SO glad you have your nail back!

[tjpoe]

First of all, let me say thanks for you story, its quite inspiring. Yesterday evening I was helping my dad load a truck onto a trailor and since i came from work i was just wearing my flip-flops, which i ALWAYS wear. anyways, the ramps to the trailer were about 50 lbs, and needless to say, i dropped one on my foot, i didn't really notice what happened, it just felt like something fell on my foot, until i looked down and saw all the blood. i came inside and cleaned it. Theres a big cut across the middle where the ramp landed, but it mostly bleeds from the edges where it ripped out. after i cleaned it, and almost passed out from lack of blood, I wrapped some gauze around it. its still bleeding a bit, a day later, but it looks a lot better.

anyways, i was curious if there were any.... "manly" solutions to helping my nail grown back should there be any problems. I don't know if there will be yet, since this just happened yesterday. but I really like to wear sandles, and i hate shoes, so it would definately be helpful and appreciated. I just don't really know that much about acrylic nails... can they be put on to match my real nail? or are they mostly painted for women? i don't really know much about fake nails, so please bear with me.

thanks in advance,

Tanner

[LisaJaney]

Tanner, I am sure they could do the nail in a natural color. I haven't had fake-nails for YEARS, but know that they do them now to look like French Manicure (the painted-tan "body" with the white tip, you could just to all-over tan). When *I* had them years ago, I could get away with just polishing them with clear and the nail was just a bit WHITER than what my normal nailbed would look. Or you could just paint it tan like a natural nailbed and, while it would be a BIT differently-colored than your other nails, I don't think it would necessarily be an attention-grabber.

Speaking as a woman, I would think it would be fine to have that done on a man's toe. If I may be so bold, I think it would probably look better than to see the roughened, naked nailbed minus its nail. I can't imagine that it would look bad at all. Of course, you wouldn't want it really LONG, but they can trim them to be any length you need it to be (I imagine keeping it shortish would be good, so it's not constantly getting pushed against the toe of a shoe and making it harder to stay ON)

That's my .02 -- I think it would be fine to do! And speedy-healing to your toe. That sounds painful, too! Blood doesn't normally bother me, but when there's a LOT of it, it's kinda scary to see it all OUTside of ya!

[tumblingchic18]

I was recently running around with a friend and accidentally had my foot slammed in a door! The big toenail was ripped all the way out (it was confirmed in the Emergency Room shortly thereafter) and they said (I'm pretty sure it was so they wouldn't worry me) it would grow back in 2 months. It has now been FIVE WEEKS and I see now sign of nail growth. There is a large bulbous sort of white thing which i'm pretty sure is the moon of my nail. When is it supposed to grow back? And how long will that take?

[shank111]

Hi
I have two questions – maybe you can help
A wooden frame fell on my leg at a construction site and I damaged my big toe on my left leg. The bone between the neck of the big toe and the front tip broke around 3 millimetres from the back end of the nail. The skin split at the same place and the toe nail was hanging on loosely.
I went to a hospital where the doctor removed the nail completely and stitched the slit area. After dressing the stitched area they have put a strapping joining the first two toes for the fracture. There is also a minor fracture on my second toe a little below the nail.
The good part is that this happened around four days ago and I am currently not in any pain. Further I can catch up on all the new movies as I need not go to work – I also get paid by the way.
I am concerned about two things
1. I am a keen tennis and squash player - will I be able to start playing in a month from now?
2. Regarding the toe nail the doctor said that it is likely that the nail would not grow back – is this true? If the nail does not grow back will I be able to use my toe like before (wearer shoes, run ... etc.)? He also said that since I am 26 years old there is a small possibility that my nail will grow back.
I would appreciate any thoughts or advise with this regard
Thanks in advance

[Koala Kim]

Originally Posted by shank111

2. Regarding the toe nail the doctor said that it is likely that the nail would not grow back – is this true? If the nail does not grow back will I be able to use my toe like before (wearer shoes, run ... etc.)? He also said that since I am 26 years old there is a small possibility that my nail will grow back.
I would appreciate any thoughts or advise with this regard
Thanks in advance

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

While I cannot answer your first question, I can *definitely* answer the second.

I have had 4 toe nails surgically removed due to extensive damage to the nail beds; both big toe nails, and the toes next to them. 3 were removed in my 20s'; the last, 2 years ago. And it really should have been removed sooner.

You can do anything you were able to do before- walk, run, wear shoes, play sports, etc.

In time, you may have something like a toe nail try to grow in, but it will be very fragile. It will peel off like an onion skin.

[dNb]

A month and a half ago I had dropped my laptop on my right big (I guess it would be my thumb) toe. The nail separated, almost completely. After a trip to the E.R., they removed the nail completely so they could clean it and then I got 1 stitch in the nail bed (top) and 2 on the right side of the nail (the stitches going through my skin and nail) , then 10-14 days later to the DR. to take the stitches out, with the nail securely in place.
2 days ago my nail started to separate, and finally today it fell off completely. I went to the DR. Yesterday and he hold me that the stitches were to keep the nail in the nail bed, telling the body to produce a new nail, which it did- which is why the old nail started to fall off— to make room for the new nail. The nail is a around 1/3 of the way grown in, and hopefully it will be straight.

[justgreen]

Yeeeouch. I am guarding my big toes!