Immediately after you injure your toenail, make sure to put a stop to the bleeding by applying pressure and wrapping it with gauze and don’t forget to elevate your foot. You may notice a lot of bleeding, and though that’s normal, you should still verify that you don’t need stitches.
It is vital that you clean your injured toenail with antiseptic as soon as you can. Soak and rinse it and then apply an antibiotic ointment. Make sure that you keep your toe wrapped with gauze and bandages.
Depending on how severe your injury is, you may consider visiting podiatrist. However, if you opt to continue treating your injury at home, you should be very careful about making sure your toe stays clean by washing it with iodine twice daily, then applying antibiotic and making sure it stays wrapped up so that the nail doesn’t snag on something.
When you have some downtime and won’t be needing to walk around, you should take the bandages off so that it has some time to air out.
Watch for signs of infection such as swelling, discharge, or redness. It is possible for bacteria to get under the remaining nail and end up trapped- which is why you should do what you can to keep it clean. Additionally, if it isn’t draining, you may need to have a hole poked in the nail in order to drain the blood.
Even though your toenail will likely fall off on its own, you should consider having what is left of your toenail removed- especially if you feel like it’s damaged too much.
Once the remaining nail has fallen off, the skin will be soft, sensitive, and coarse. Keep it clean and wrapped until the tissue starts to harden.
Eventually, a new nail will begin to grow. You won’t need to do anything to facilitate this process. Just sit back and relax, allowing your body to take care of itself. Simply keep an eye on it to make sure it’s not becoming ingrown.
Dr. Ian S. Goldbaum is a Podiatric Physician and Surgeon serving patients in Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach.
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