Smashed toe and nail fell off - Nail Problems Message Board

dsaewq · 02-10-2008, 09:55 AM

I did that almost 2 years ago, the nail fell off soon after and the nail hasn't completely returned to normal.
The nail itself grew out, but the red part underneath the nail didn't completely come back. It seems to be growing back SLOWLY. 2 years and it still hasn't come back completely? Is that normal?
And the cuticle hasn't returned either. Isn't that bad? Will it return EVER?

Thanks.

Marti · 02-10-2008, 12:28 PM

If the nail bed was damaged due to the trauma, the nail plate can no longer adhere to the skin. Since this was 2 years ago, the nail will always be as it is right now.

dsaewq · 02-10-2008, 01:08 PM

The cuticle doesn't grow back?

And the pink part won't grow anymore? It IS growing back slowly. Just VERY slowly.

Marti · 02-10-2008, 06:44 PM

True cuticle is the translucent skin that is attached to the nail plate and grows forward from under the proximal nail fold. This skin is normally removed during a regular pedicure. If you are talking about the e p o n y c h i u m, this is the skin that stops where it touches the nail plate. Did you have the e p o n y c h i u m removed? If so, it may not grow back.

As for the nail plate; growth depends entirely on just how many new nail plate cells are developed in the matrix (root). If the root was damaged, nail plate cell porduction greatly slows. Toe nails grow MUCH slower than finger nails, taking anywhere from 6 months to a year to completely replace themselves depending on your genetics. Since you said this happened TWO years ago, what you see might be all you get.

dsaewq · 02-10-2008, 11:16 PM

Nothing else was removed but the nail. The nail took a while to fall off but it eventually did once the new nail started growing in. But the cuticle for the new nail never grew. Don't I kinda need that? I read that it keeps bacteria from going behind your nail and in the skin. Why would it not grow back?

And the nail plate is growing back fine, it's the nail bed that's not growing back as fast. It's growing back slowly, but VERY slowly. When I cut the nail, I notice the nail bed has gotten a little longer each time I cut it.

I've never heard of something taking so long to grow back in my life. Amputees have grown back limbs faster than I've grown back a simple nail.