Losing a fingernail/toenail

[Hay Dude]

I'm past the "pain stage". I'm in the beginning of the "falling-off stage".
I crushed my fingernail pulling a vine from a mulching head on a skid steer. Got my finger between a mulcher tooth and the head shield.
I also crushed a finger in my 20's in an "iron man" contest. I had to raise a 200-ish lb log over my head, which I did successfully. Stupidly, I tried to set it down instead of throwing it and beating my chest, like the other contestants lol, and I crushed my universal greeting sign on my right hand. And of course, next day was arm wrestling
Still looks kinda mangled 30 years later.

 

[jmc]

Yes, I always knew the trick was to drill an escape hole.
Have seen some actually use a power tool to do so.

A guy told me he drilled his smashed fingernail on a drill press and when the twist drill broke through the backside of the nail, it caught (as they often do) and sucked his finger tip up the twist drill, way deep, maybe through.

I've done the paperclip trick and it's slick. A match would probably heat it. I used a gas stove burner. Great way to perforate thin plastic too.

 

[MossRoad]

Rural living was best forum I could find. Please move to better forum if there is one.

It's fine here. I'm sure many folks have lost a nail.

 

[Jstpssng]

It's fine here. I'm sure many folks have lost a nail.

I usually find them in a tire though. (shameless play on words)

 

[dodge man]

I lost my big toenail at least once. I remember it being very tender underneath after it fell off. I can’t remember if I put a bandaid on it to help protect it.

 

[wolc123]

Harbor freight sells a tiny set of drill bits that comes in a small aluminum can that doubles as a chuck. I have used that probably half a dozen times, immediately after smacking a finger, and it has saved the nail every time. Unlike a risky power drill, you turn this by hand, thru the nail near the base.

The best part is, the intense pain that you feel, after smacking your finger, goes away the instant the drill breaks thru to relieve the pressure. The second best part is you usually get to keep the nail.

 

[not2old]

I've lost a few, years ago. While it was growing back I went to a spa and had an acrylic overlay installed. Another visit half way through and then again at the end to remove it. It helped a lot to prevent problems with it while working.

 

[MossRoad]

I was plagued with ingrown toenails on my big toes for over 10 years during high school and beyond. They tried digging them out, cutting the ingrown side completely off, pulling the whole nail completely off, and letting them grow back. Probably over a dozen times. They only hurt for a couple days and keeping a bandaid with some Neosporin on it helps. After a few days, it's then just a matter of waiting 6 months to a year for it to grow back. No different than knocking them off by accident, which I've also done on my hands and feet. My left one finally grew back normal, but my right one continued for another 10 years. So I finally had them remove it and surgically remove the matrix that grows new nails. So I have no toenail on my right big toe for about 25 years and if feels great! No more problems. When I'm at the pool, and a little kid notices it, and asks what happened, I tell them a raccoon chewed it off.

 

[MossRoad]

As for smashed nails and blood pooling under them, yes, the pain is heavy for such a small boo-boo. My sister took a heated paper clip to one of her own when she was young and showed me how to do it, so that's always been the solution in our family. It relieves the pressure, which is nice, but 9 times out of 10, you're gonna loose the nail.

 

[wolc123]

As for smashed nails and blood pooling under them, yes, the pain is heavy for such a small boo-boo. My sister took a heated paper clip to one of her own when she was young and showed me how to do it, so that's always been the solution in our family. It relieves the pressure, which is nice, but 9 times out of 10, you're gonna loose the nail.

Probably loose it because the heat cauterized the bleeding and stops the drainage. A cold, smaller drill probably gives you a better chance of saving the nail.