Finger Nail ripped clean off, question please.

Nurses General Nursing

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My 14 yo son dropped a 70 lb hand weight on his hand and his nail was ripped off tearing his cuticle way back. Should it be allowed to dry out, or keep it covered with antibiotic cream and bandage? Thank you.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!

I would keep it covered with antibiotic cream and bandage. I mean, it'll need some sort of protection since the nail is no longer there.

Might want to see a doctor though.

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Thank you :)

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Please get him to the doctor. Without any nail tissue present, the nail might not grow back properly, if at all. It needs to be seen and treated to minimize the possibility of his having a permanent deformity.

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Ewwwww I HATE fingernail stuff......ewwwww.

I agree consult the doctor.

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My son ripped of four fingernails while skateboarding (don't ask). We took him to the doc. All they did was put antibiotic cream on the nail bed and kept them well dressed. I changed the dressing daily.

Fortunately, all of his nails grew back normally. The doc said he had a better chance of them coming in abnormally wavy, ridged, or thick.

My husband dropped an anvil on his toe when he was 5 (another don't ask). His toenail came in very opaque and thickened. I don't know what his doc did for it, if anything.

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I lost an entire finger nail to a shopping cart wheel at 7 (long story). My parents took me to the doctor and they kept it covered with antibiotic salve and a dressing for what seemed like forever, it was probably just a week or two. It did grow back and in the mean time I had a cool "ET finger"

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

Took mine off with a hammer. Surprisingly, the skin underneath wasn't all that tender. Didn't do much treatment -- kept a band aid on it at first, and it grew back just fine. It was actually the third blow that did it. Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb! Did quit early that day.

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Specializes in NICU and neonatal transport.

Dropped a brick on my toe and lost the nail, dressed it and it grew back fine apart from one tiny groove.

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The new spray on Bandaid type sprays also are very helpful and stop the pain by protecting the raw area.

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Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.

No useful response here, just /shudder owowowowowowowowowow.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

It's weird, puke, blood, etc. doesn't bother me, yet I get the shudders over a fingernail injury too lol.

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