Nail damaged

Posted , 3 users are following.

I lost my thumb nail about three months ago. The initial trauma pushed the tip down and the back end lifted out from under the cuticle while the top remained attached. Eventually the whole nail fell off. The cuticle has since healed and the nail bed hardened. The nail bed has been an odd shape. Kind of like if you step on a basketball and it has divots that slowly start to fill with air again, the nail bed is also starting to re-“inflate”. I assume this will eventually be a normal c curve shape again without divots. This being said, my question is should I go to a doctor and get it evaluated since the nail hasn’t grown back? Is there special care for a finger without a nail that I should be doing? Is the hardened nail bed normal?image

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2 Replies

  • Posted

    Any trauma to the nail bed can cause permanent damage and make the new nail grow with a lumpy or dented appearance.Not a lot you can do but wait and see. You can try massaging some hand/nail cream into it but your picture looks fairly normal for a damaged nail thats growing back.

  • Posted

    Hmm. I lost a big toe nail once and the nail did grow back completely. It was a slow process. If I remember correctly the nail bed did harden as protection while the nail was growing back.You can always see your doctor if you are worried or want more medically correct answers.

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