Anyone ever lose a toenail?

kathryn

kathryn

Cathlete
I've been "power walking" 4-5 miles!) for about 4 weeks, and hadn't had any foot problems until just recently. The other day, my shoes, which fit me fine two days earlier (I rotate between two pairs of the same style), were bumping against my second toe (or I guess my toe was bumping up against my shoes) for most of my walk. Felt sore afterwards, but the next day, I put a bandaid over it, and it felt fine in the shoe (though pre-band-aiding, I managed to catch the toenail on several things, like a blanket, ouch).

I didn't walk yesterday or today, because the toenail bed is black (I did drain some blood out with a sterile needle--left-over insulin syringe from my dearly-departed Scooter---because there seemed to be a build-up of blood, put on some triple antibiotic cream, and rebandage). It isn't very sore, though.

Am I bound to lose this toenail? (It is looking kind of dead!) And if so, what happens? I know my mother lost a toenail when I was a kid, but I was too young to remember what it was like.
 
Kathryn, serveral years ago something heavy fell on my toenail and it seemed to take forever for the new one to grow out and push the old one off. Not fun....

Darlene
 
>Kathryn, serveral years ago something heavy fell on my
>toenail and it seemed to take forever for the new one to grow
>out and push the old one off. Not fun....
>
>Darlene

Details?
 
Ny son lost a toenail a few years ago due to soccer. It was just hanging there.....The doc ripped it off.....another grew back...no worries!!
 
Before I had hiking and running shoes that fit properly for endurance events, I lost several toe nails. At one time I only had 5 total (and I do have 10 toes!). If it's catching on things, then chances are you will lose it. You'll still have a slight covering over the nail bed and eventually your nail will grow back (I have all 10 toe nails now). Sometimes it's not the shoes, but the socks - were you wearing thicker socks than normal? If not, did you go a longer distance than you have been? Or has it been a bit since you've cut your nails? I have to keep my toe nails very short in order to keep them. My pedicurist argued with me until she saw the result of not cutting them short enough.
 
Hi Kathryn,

I had the same thing happen to me - exactly same scenario only it was my big toe . . . I did lose part of it but not the whole thing. This "injury" is also known as turf toe. The remedy for me was to buy a new pair of shoes - 1/2 to 1 size larger than normal. This provided more room in the toe box of the shoe and no more turf toe. Missing toe nails are not attractive - especially during sandal season!

Mo
 
So funny you mention this...recently I've had lots of trouble with my right big toe (ingrown toe nail) and then about a month before that, my little toe next to my right toe nail did the same thing yours did.

For about 2 weeks I did nothing to it because it didn't hurt. Then I noticed that all the black stuff under it caused my nail to pull away from it's bed, which still didn't hurt.

Basically all I did was clip off all the nail that looked black (dried blood) and it was almost my entire nail, but it's almost grown back! It'll take about 6 weeks to grow back, depending on how much you cut off. You'll be back in great toe nail shape in no time!

-Lanie
 
They do grow back but my experience is that it takes much longer than you would think. I lost my big toenail and it took over 9 months to grow back.
 
You'd be surprised if you see how common black toenails are on marathon runners and triathletes. I guess it just comes with the territory. I lost a toenail once years ago (left big toe) and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a runner when that happened and it just turned black. What happens is that eventually the toenail separates from the skin and the nail becomes loose, then you have a space between the skin and the toenail and bacteria or fungi can grow in that little space. The doctor removed the toenail (and used no anesthesia thank you very much...) I don't remember how long it took for it to grow back, but I remember my toe felt funny when I wore socks so I had to wear open shoes for a couple of days (maybe weeks) until the skin on my toe felt normal. It's not a big deal, but it can be bothersome the first few days you lose it.
 
I've lost the toenail on my little toe on my left foot 3 or 4 times. I stubbed it real bad one time and it pulled the nail up and out - so I just ripped it off. Hurt pretty bad for a minute or 2. Wiped up the blood, put some neosporin and a band aid on it and moved out. Felt bruised for a couple of day, but no real probs. Took maybe a month to grow back - however its a small toe. I've done similar things to it the other times. It hurts, but it should grow back, no problems, just wont look cute for a while. But sandal season is almost over!

Nan
 
I lost a toenail due to trauma. Somebody dropped a jumbo glass jar of peanut butter on it. Like your toenail, mine turned black and then my body sloughed it off. Unfortunately, the toenail grew back thicker and uglier. I pray this doesn't happen to you.
Manmohini
 
It has happened to me many times. The new nail grows back soon enough. I get rid of the dead nail myself because yes, the loose nail can catch on things and get ripped off, which hurts more than doing the surgey for yourself. The nail bed is soft and vulnerable for a few days and then quickly hardens up so just baby it a little. I don't ever cover it up with band aids, that just keeps it soft. I let it harden up and heal naturally, like any minor wound.

It's pretty commonplace among runners and power walkers, and climbers (my first ones happened while coming down off a 5,000 metre high volcano in Ecuador some years ago, feet kept banging against front of boot) and no big deal, really. Don't worry about it, just let it heal and do its thing.

Clare
 
My first marathon, I lost a few toenails. They all came back. It really didn't hurt at all. They turned black and blue and fell off. (I am a wuss and it still didn't hurt)
 
Hi Kathryn,

I had a similar thing happen to one of my big toes several years ago from a pair of ski boots that had gotten worn out out. I recall the nail turned black and got a little sore. I just left it alone as much as possible and it eventually started coming off by itself after a 3 or 4 weeks, but it had a thinner nail coming in underneath it.

The new nail did come in thinner at first, but eventually grew back in normally. It may have taken a few months for that to happen after the bad nail came off.
 
My marathon badge of honor was a black toenail. I had never had one, even during my months of training, until I actually ran the marathon. It was my second toe, and the nail never fell off. It just grew out over several months. I'd say it took a good 5-6 months before all the black was gone. So I wouldn't say you're doomed to lose the nail. But it may be black for a long time.
 
Manmohini

I also lost my toenail due to trauma. When I was pregnant, my DH decide to close the bathroom door one night when he went to bed (the door is never closed). Of course when I got up in the middle of the night I ran smack into it and stubbed my toe.
Anyway, That was six years ago and when it grew back it had a split down the middle and would just break and peel. After five years of this I went to the dermatologist and learned that after a trauma some times fungus can develope in the nail. The doctor prescibed Penlac and finally after all this time my nail actually looks almost normal (it is kind of yellow from having the Penlac on it all the time). Just a thought.

Linda
 
yikes. i had pre-cancerous growth removed from my toe. the shot the doctor used to numb the area almost knocked me out...it was one of the most painful experiences. it's amazing how delicate the toes are.
 
Linda,
Wow. What's up with your husband leaving the door closed? What a price to pay.

Maybe toenails that are shed due to trauma are the ones that grow in with fungus Yes, I'm sure I must have that fungus although my nail has never cracked or split. It is pretty smooth. For the past twenty or so years, I've dealt with it by hiding it--nail polish all summer, socks in the winter. Like many of the annoying little things about my body, I long ago resigned myself to live with it. But thanks for telling me about the Penlac. It's something to keep in mind should I ever tire of this situation.
Manmohini
 
Thanks for all your tonail stories!

Now, I'm not sure if I'm going to lose it or not. It's still black (more like a blood blister is under the toenail rather than the toenail itself being black, but hard to tell), but it's not loose (though yesterday, I could really feel the base of it, like it wasn't part of my toe anymore...a foreign object). I did trim it back a bit, though, so it wouldn't catch on things.

I tried working out yesterday (PH with donkey kick floor work instead of lunges, because I thought that putting weight on the bent toe would feel odd, or make matters worse) and today (a 4+ mile walk--I did wrap the toe up ahead of time with some tubular gauze I got at the pharmacy) with no problem.

Right now, it looks like I have a 'Goth' toenail!
 
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