Finger Nails

[fideldyfee]

I hurt my finger a couple months ago and as a result the nail went all yukky and started to come away from the nail bed (sorry i know this is gross) anyway it got worse and worse and now there is no nail left on my finger at all. it looks horrible as you can probably imagine.

Is it going to grow back? and what can i do in the mean time to help the situation? apart from wearing a false nail (which i am having problems with because it wont stick to the skin).

Thanks in advance x

[caz21]

It sounds like you damaged the matrix where the healthy cells are produced and keratinised, (which is under the cuticle where the crescent moon is. ) usually unfortunately the damage is permenant. It must have been pretty bad to cause your nail to come off completeley as damage to the matrix usually leads to things like ridges and spoon nail. you could try massaging creams into your cuticles but your best going to see a doctor who can advise the best course to take. x

[malaise]

A similar thing happened with my toenail because of running. I got a blister under the nail, it turned black, and detacher from the nail bed = GROSS.

It's growing back now, slowly. I've been advised that it will take 6-9 months to grow back fully, and that the new nail might be thin and damaged and otherwise rubbish looking, but that it should eventually get better.

Once your nail has grown in a little, you could try using false nails then (it's what I'm doing with my toes - plain clear nails filed down to be quite short, then a coat of nail varnish so they look real!)

[Amara]

The same thing happened to my little daughter when her finger got squashed when the wind blew our front door shut ouch!! Her nail came off , but it did grow back in a couple of months, it grew back black though and I thought it was damaged permanently, but gradually it grew again normally and is now fine - less than 9 months later - so try not to worry - she used to keep a plaster on it during the day at school - mainly because it looked nasty - but also because it hurt if it got knocked - and let it breathe at night without the plaster. Plaster not a great look I know but you might need to until enough comes through to stick on a false nail. Amara xx