[Skully]

I broke the big toe on my left foot. It is looking like I am going to lose the nail. I never lost a nail before. Does it hurt? How do you care for it? Any advice is appreciated!

[Ardmore]

Originally Posted by Skully

I broke the big toe on my left foot. It is looking like I am going to lose the nail. I never lost a nail before. Does it hurt? How do you care for it? Any advice is appreciated!

It doesn't hurt, but if you don't give it cover, it irritates like hell, just apply medicine to it every week, it takes a month and a half to grow back if it falls off completely.

My middle fingernail came off completely when I slammed it in a door, it wasn't pleasant I'll tell ya.

[SlatkaMala]

I dropped a bowling ball on my big toe about a month and a half ago. That hurt like buggery. I lost most of the nail. It's growing back okay. It just looks like hell right now. I cover it up with a bandage to prevent irritation.

[Nola22]

Okay, I think I can finally say I've a bit of expertise in a particular area--too bad it's thanks to my own klutziness.

I lost a fingernail as a child, just due to regular horsing around and play, and I was fascinated by the entire process--from the original nail discoloring and falling off, to the new nail coming in right under it. I remember preferring the new nail to the one I'd lost, 'cause it seemed to grow in in a more adult, sophisticated shape. To this day, it's longer and slightly more slender than my other fingernails.

Damaged another fingernail slicing a piece of cake on a slippery surface. That left me with a fun little scar, and a nail that grows in with a pronounced ridge. It took me awhile to like that one, but I do now.

Lost a toenail jumping for joy when I'd thought I was in line for some hard-to-get concert tickets. I wound up with a lot of blood on the floor of several rooms of the house, but alas, no tickets. That nail grew in tougher than the others for years, and in a very odd shape. It has only begun to normalize over the last year or so.

I'm sorry you've broken your toe, Skully, and I wish you a speedy recovery. Keep the nail bandaged and clean--all the very common sense approaches to helping an injury of this nature heal. I'd let it get some air now and again while you're at rest. Losing the nail(s) wasn't what hurt in my case--the pain was always from the initial injury. Feel better soon and please keep us posted!

[littleyellowspider]

I've done this. If you wrap the toe in a band-aid or gauze and keep it covered the nail will just come off and you'll hardly feel it. I hope you feel better!

hi, skully,
i lost a toenail on my right big toe last year; it was from a pair of shoes that fit in the morning but, as the day went by, would feel too small. the nail became discolored and hard as a new one started growing underneath. i covered it with a fresh band-aid every day so that the old nail would not fall off while the new one pushed it out. (the skin underneath your toenails is very sensitive as i'm sure you are aware. keep the old nail on as long as possible to protect this skin.) it took a couple of months but the new nail has grown in and the remains of the old one have been cut off. good luck with the broken toe - that's probably more serious.