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tylerm
Mar 16, 2004, 2:54 PM
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To all of you doctors out there, I have a question.
I have a nasty toenail that is hanging on by a thread. My question is: is it better to take it off or hold it in place? How long should I keep it in place? I have what feels like a new nail growing in, but it seems soft. Is it bad to expose the new nail to damage, or better to take it off and allow it to breathe?
Thanks in advance for any insight you may have.
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tylerm
Mar 16, 2004, 3:38 PM
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Apparently the doctors are still asleep...
BUMP
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ropeburn
Mar 16, 2004, 4:25 PM
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I'm no doctor... But I'd yank that puppy.
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creenski
Mar 16, 2004, 4:40 PM
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I have had the same problem a few times in the past. What I've always done is let it be until it got to the point that it was a nuisance to have it hanging, and then I'd pull it. The nail growing underneath is soft, but it will protect your toe until it hardens.
It might be sore for a couple of days, but then it's back to normal.
Good Luck!
Creen
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tylerm
Mar 16, 2004, 4:46 PM
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thx, creen, for sharing your experince- i might just do that- how long did it take for it to heal up (at least to look normal again)
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maculated
Mar 16, 2004, 4:53 PM
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maculated moved this thread from General to Injuries & Accidents.
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maculated
Mar 16, 2004, 4:54 PM
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Tyler, I'm no doc but I lost my ring fingernail when I was a kid and I can tell you this: cut the sucker off.
BUT, you'll need to be sure it doesn't grow back weird. Tape can keep it oriented downward, and if it starts going ingrown, stuff some cotton under it. It takes a while to look normal again.
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wonderwoman
Mar 16, 2004, 5:09 PM
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you may want to remove it (or have it removed). I was too wimpy to remove mine and a new one grew underneath. I think the dead nail forced my new nail to grow ingrown and I had to have the new one removed. and the aftermath of that was painful! You can see the story here:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=51202&postdays=0&postorder=asc&topic_view=&start=0
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lindsaym
Mar 16, 2004, 5:17 PM
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Go ahead and rip off the old toenail. The new toenail underneath is tougher than you think - there's no need to do anything special or modify your activities to protect it. Some people do recommend taping the new toenail to prevent if from "wiggling" if there's pressure on if from your shoes - I would consider that optional. The toe might be a little tender for awhile but in general you shouldn't notice any difference in sensitivity after a few days. You should have a whole new toenail in about 6 months - it might look a little different if you've damaged the nailbed but I'm guessing you're not vain about your feet!
If you go to a doctor to have it done, they'll do a block on your toe and you won't feel a thing when they're actually removing the toenail. You will, however, feel LOTS of things when they stick that needle full of local anesthetic in your toe :shock:. (But it only hurts for a second!)
The only warning I would give you is to watch the toe for a few days and make sure there's no infection starting - you might cause a little wound in the skin when you pull off the old toenail and shoes/feet provide a great environment for bacteria to grow in.
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tylerm
Mar 16, 2004, 5:26 PM
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Thanks to all for their input...
I think that this afternoon I'll be gettin' to rippin'...
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