Smashed fingernail - Nail Problems Message Board

HMLGE · 12-05-2004, 10:52 AM

I mashed the top knuckle of a finger with a rock -- never mind the details, it was silly. Nothing was broken, but it hurt like crazy, turned purple black promptly. I applied ice, and so forth. It is now fully eight weeks later. The nail clearly is on the verge of departing. It has separated at the base and one side. There's about 1/4 inch (or 8 days) of normal nail at the top. When that's gone, the nail will go. Okay, my question: Do I just wait and see if the nail grows normally afterwards. Is there a chance that the nail won't grow at all?

Marti · 12-06-2004, 05:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HMLGE

I mashed the top knuckle of a finger with a rock -- never mind the details, it was silly. Nothing was broken, but it hurt like crazy, turned purple black promptly. I applied ice, and so forth. It is now fully eight weeks later. The nail clearly is on the verge of departing. It has separated at the base and one side. There's about 1/4 inch (or 8 days) of normal nail at the top. When that's gone, the nail will go. Okay, my question: Do I just wait and see if the nail grows normally afterwards. Is there a chance that the nail won't grow at all?

The nail will replace itself in due time. The only way it wouldn't grow at all is if you had the root surgically removed.

HMLGE · 12-07-2004, 07:22 PM

Thanks much!

JMcQ · 12-21-2004, 03:17 PM

I smashed two fingers 11 weeks ago. One nail had to be stitched back on because it came completely off and the doctor wanted it back on as a splint for the broken fingertip. The other one just turned black. At this point, the fingernail on the finger that had the stiches has grown back almost halfway. The nail that just turned black eventually separated at the bottom and one side like yours, and is barely hanging on. It has only now started growing back out, so it must have been traumatized more than the one that snapped off. My point is, your nail may take some time before it starts growing back out. Once it starts, though, you can usually tell it's on it's way back to being normal. I find it amazing how the growing nail smooths out the gnarly surface of the nailbed. Not so amazed that I'd want to go through this again though...