Spoiler: Click at own risk wondering if anyone has damaged their cuticle? I smashed the cuticle on my middle finger, left hand about 7-8 weeks ago. It was jammed on a hard plastic handle of a cab. The nail bed looked kinda purple and it was mildly sore for a couple of weeks. The nail grew out with a scab which fell away leaving this ugly trough. Basic question: will it grow back? Bonus points: should I do anything to help it heal?
I had a similar hole in my toenail many years ago after dropping a small outboard motor on it. I just left it alone and my nail eventually grew out to normal. If I recall correctly, it took 8 or 9 months to recover.
Well... The news I have aint real good. Almost twenty years ago a dummy fired a nail from a nail gun into the cuticle of my ring finger. When it did finally heal my nail grew back with a sharp ridge down the middle that I have to sand down each week and the cuticle now stays split open to one degree or another. I considered looking into some sort of reconstructive surgery once but I am way beyond my handsome years. So I just consider it part of my "reliced" look now.
I just recovered from second degree burn on my stomach. My time at the wound care clinic taught me to keep it clean, keep it slathered in silver cream and keep it covered with a sealed bandage. Repeat daily. I was told scabs are the enemy that cause scarring and hide bacteria. In your case, I would clean out all the junk and cut the unattached nail back. Cover in Neosporin and bandaged with a waterproof bandage. Clean and repeat daily. That's just me. If I had to treat it myself. Otherwise I would have visited my doc.
Yeah, no. Split open means bacteria have access. I'd have it looked at just to get a medical opinion. It may be less invasive than you think.
Since we are posting ugly painful pictures, I passed this sharp as glass jagged kidney stone over the New Year's weekend. Yep...it hurt when passing thru my junk.
@Stewie26 that looks painful. @Stumbo burns are bad. Remember you mentioned something about 2017 being a bad Med year. Hope you’re all good now. @Aberdumbie thanks, I’ll take a weird nail over this canyon that I have.
Yeah I would see a doc over that one. Like @Stumbo said, bacteria and all grades of infections are possible. In my non-professional opinion you have what I call an "open wound". I don't treat patients, but I work in the medical business. A hole lime that anywhere is bad. But on your finger that comes in contact with WAY more germs than your butt does on a public toilet, that is asking for trouble. It needs to be treated and sealed up with triple antibiotic or something similar. If it were me I would constantly dump peroxide on it. And here in the south we would soak it it warm salt water for short periods to "draw out the infection". Good luck man. That's pretty bad.
Then I is whole again all the way down, so I would think that eventually the hole will grow out. But yeah, keep it clean, covered, and moisturized. If it looks any worse, get the to a doctor.
Did you time it so that, at the moment of passing, the clock struck midnight, and everybody cheered and hugged each other with joy?
No lie. That is some ugly. I’ve played with nail damage before. As long as it isn’t painful, you’re probably OK. As mentioned, it does take an unusually long time for those to completely correct themselves.
Looks like you'll have a lot of scar tissue. I'd get it checked and cut down asap. Might be some nasty infection under there that can get into your blood. Podiatrists deal with nail problems daily. I know they are foot Docs. Just sayin'
I worked in construction, residential and commercial, for 20+ years. Oh yeah, I've done that my share of times, and worse. -Mike
“What is the deal with cuticles? Why are they called cuticles, when they are so ugly? They should be uglycles, amiright?” My future as a standup comedian is calling.