While losing a fingernail is not a critical condition, it is unnerving to look upon your hand’s abnormal appearance when nails are missing. If you keep the nail, its appearance can change. An injured nail could reveal a black, brown or purple color all of which indicate bleeding under the nail. The new nail growth could be ridged, unusually thick and dark when it grows back. The worst case scenario is for the nail to grow back unattached to the nail bed. If it does, it will not reattach to the nail bed later.
Causes of Fingernail Loss
A bad nail bruise can eventually end in nail loss, if blood under the nail is not removed. Another cause of blood under the nail is a laceration of the nail bed. The cut must be repaired before the nail can grow back. An amputation of the fingertip and an avulsion of the nail (nail removed from the nail bed) can result in loss of the fingernail. Finger fractures caused by crushing injuries, called distal tuft fractures, may also include nail loss.
Treating Injured Nails
- Remove all jewelry from hands
- Apply pressure if bleeding occurs
- Wash shallow cuts and apply triple antibiotic ointment and a bandage
- Keep hand elevated above the heart
- If cut is deep or an amputation has occurred retrieve finger part (wrap in paper towel, place in ice) and rush to the hospital.
- Bent fingers indicate there may be a breakage; seek medical care
How to Encourage Healthy Nail Growth
If blood is under the nail, it should be drained to relieve the pressure and return the nail to its original coloring. The nail may have to be removed if the nail bed has a laceration under the nail. After the laceration is sutured, the nail may be reattached with medical glue or the nail may be removed and the finger wrapped in gauze to encourage healing. Eventually the healthy nail may grow back. If a portion of the fingertip has been amputated, surgery may stimulate the re-growth of the nail, but even highly skilled hand surgeons experience a high rate of failure at initiating re-growth.
Injured toenails are prone to various infections. The most common infection being toenail fungus. It’s therefore important to treat injured toenails immediately, in order to preserve the function, health and appearance of the finger and its nail. Prompt medical attention may be required if a cut, break or bad bruise is suffered. Immediate attention frequently results in the nail bed being repaired and new healthy nail growth being stimulated.
