Has anyone lost a toenail?

[ski diva]

I never have before, then this morning I noticed this:



It's not injured or anything; it just looks broken. I'm afraid it'll hurt if I cut it off, though it doesn't seem like it's very attached, either, and it could come off on its own.

Any advice? What should I do if it comes off? Is it going to cause me problems?

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Clean gently, dry. Apply antibiotic ointment (which will also serve to soften it) and cover with appropriate-size bandage. Change daily. Eventually the nail will dislodge on its own. I wouldn't do any cutting, as this will affect both the nail margins. If in doubt, have a doc/nurse practitioner do the cutting. (I have much too much experience with this <sigh>)

 

[liquidfeet]

I'd cut it off, in order to avoid it getting caught on a sock and being pulled backwards, maybe causing more problems. I've done this before and didn't have any problems with the nail margins as far as I know. On the other hand, maybe caution is best as @MaineSkiLady suggests. I wrote this before she posted.

A lost toenail leaves the tip of the toe fleshy. My toes have been fine when this happened. The nail will grow back. Now I'm wondering, after the previous post, if I've done something wrong when this has happened to me. Better take a closer look at my nails.

 

[newboots]

I banged my toe something awful the other night. The swelling is down, the redness is diminished, but now only the place under the nailbed is affected: it's black. I may join the group of women with a nail-free toe one of these days!

 

[santacruz skier]

I have lost a few toenails and let nature takes its course. I did NOT cut them off as heard that's a recipe for infection. Cover loosely with a bandage.
It should not hurt when the nail finally dislodges and may take some time. Also, mine happened in the summer after long hikes in the Sierras. There "appears" to be a nail bed there and you can still get pedicures. Affected toe may look a little different.....
If in doubt, I would go to the doctor.

 

[Scribble]

I'm really prone to bruising on my big toes, especially when hiking and gardening. Something about the way my foot bends in a shoe. I had to have one surgically removed once, which was a truly horrible experience I wouldn't wish on anyone! After that, I started sanding the front third/half of the nail paper thin with an emery board and haven't had much trouble since. It seems to let the nail flex a little more evenly when I walk, spreading the insult across the whole top of my toe instead of just at the nail bed.
That said, I haven't had any trouble skiing, even with my new Lange boots, though I can feel my toe touch brushing the front of the boot sometimes. I can't say whether this is why, only that it works for the other problem.

 

[edelweissmaedl]

Caution is likely better, but I’ve lost a few nails and as the old one gets loose I trim the loose part off to minimize chance for snagging. Just be conservative, as it keeps growing out keeping trimming until it eventually falls off.

 

[Iwannaski]

Caution is likely better, but I’ve lost a few nails and as the old one gets loose I trim the loose part off to minimize chance for snagging. Just be conservative, as it keeps growing out keeping trimming until it eventually falls off.

Also what I’ve done. I had a horse step on my big toe once, and the nail didn‘t give up completely (yours looks fine at the source) but the trauma definitely detached most of the nail from my toe. Make sure that it’s trimmed so it doesn’t snag, and that it doesn’t get guck underneath it. (I know, ew)

 

[liquidfeet]

....I had to have one surgically removed once, which was a truly horrible experience I wouldn't wish on anyone!....

Quoted for truth. It's the shot they give you to deaden the toe that's so horrid. Worse than childbirth, but thankfully shorter.

Personal experience - I developed two ingrown toenails as a result of poorly fitted boots (by a very respected bootfitter no less) and had to have both nails removed. They have grown back in but are permanently malformed now. Their new odd shapes require maintenance. I have to thin them out with sandpaper, and constantly clean deeply beneath them where the new nail never attached back to the skin below.

I also wouldn't wish this on anyone!

 

[Jilly]

I've lost both big toe - toe nails. I just let nature take it's course. Lucky for me the timing as more summer than now.

 

[kkclimb]

This happened to me many years ago after running a marathon (my one and only). Like few others above, I let it be and it came off on its own. It grew back and caused me no problems. Hope it goes well for you!

 

[Soujan]

I've have my big toe nail half detach. Both times I cut off the loose part of nail because it was painful when it would get caught and it was bruised underneath. Even though I was exposing the skin underneath the nail, the skin hardened like a callus. It was almost as hard as the nail itself. Both times my nail grew back just fine.

 

[contesstant]

Yes, both big toes two years in a row several years ago in boots that were too short-lasted. They grew back fine, however, that is not always the case. My husband has no big toenails on either foot as he lost them so many years in a row after teaching full time in plug boots.

Funny, my same toe that you show is losing the nail had to have some room ground out in the boot because it was getting irritated by my new boots. I didn't want to go through losing another toenail!

When I lost both my big toenails, I bought the stick on fingernail packs and put the biggest nail on and they looked really good. It was sandal season, after all!

 

[MissySki]

When these threads come up it always amazes me how common this issue seems. I really hope to never join the club though!

 

[Jenny]

When these threads come up it always amazes me how common this issue seems. I really hope to never join the club though!

Me, too! I lost one when I was a kid - a Conor paddle fell off the wall and landed blade-first, right on it. All I remember is that it took months to finally fall off and I wouldn’t let anyone do anything to it.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Okay, the problem isn’t so much the nail that you lose/lost - it’s the state of the nail that’s growing back in. This has to do with the nail margins (sides) and the groove - into which it hopefully grows. If the skin toughens or callouses after a nail has come off, it can affect regrowth. And that’s not a good thing. Speaking from lengthy experience.

I have had one full and 3 partial removals just since last December - and I have not yet had on a ski boot. Yes - ski boots, when worn long enough, CAN affect how the nail grows, especially the little toe. Too narrow a toe box, and .... it’s not pretty. Once the nail matrix (from whence it all grows) gets distorted, things just don’t seem to normalize.

Most people can get away with a nail loss a few times without having any of the above issues. Just-be careful.

 

[nopoleskier]

I broke my big toe- my nail was bruised and black.. I soaked in Epson Salts EVERY Night and the nail never fell off- it helped w/the swelling of the broken toe and also I think that saved my toenail..

 

[enk319]

@MaineSkiLady: what are signs that the nail matrix has been distorted?

I lost both big toenails after this last season (both got purple and bruised then lifted from the nail bed until falling off). The nails seems to be growing back, but they look "lumpier" than normal...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

@MaineSkiLady: what are signs that the nail matrix has been distorted?

I lost both big toenails after this last season (both got purple and bruised then lifted from the nail bed until falling off). The nails seems to be growing back, but they look "lumpier" than normal...

It takes time for a nail to fully grow back. Some of that growth might be occurring at irregular intervals. Keep an eye on it, because if growth is accompanied by distinct thickening, that's a sign of a whole different issue. Sadly, none of it is good. (sorry )