Really broken nail

[Chinniechantel]

Ok, I know this will sound girly and stupid, but I broke my nail and it really hurts! Almost the whole thumb nail on my right hand is ripped off. It is held on by a little thread and a bandaid. There is only about 1/5 of the nail left but the rest is still stuck on there. Is there anything I can do? Can I get a fake nail put on it so it can grow out, super glue it then put on a bandaid, or what? I have never done this before and need your wonderful ladies advice, because I need to be typing so I need something on it. Man can that hurt, it is bleeding everywhere and now it hurts to type! :hair:

 

[Laurie]

Chantel, you can get a fake nail put on and I recommend a glue on nail and not a gel nail. The reason is the glue on's don't last forever and your nail should breathe a bit in between growing out. I did this to a toe nail, the big toe of course, before our trip to Florida a few years ago. I glued on the fake nail and it lasted the whole Florida trip and I even went in the ocean for 2.5 seconds (shark attacks you know)
I wish I was there because I would do it for you.

 

[tunes]

Owwwwwie - I feel for you. Why is it that the tips of our fingers and toes are so blessed sensitive? I broke off an acrylic back in the day, and it ripped half my natural fingernail off. They could hear me swearing a mild away.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Owwwwwie - I feel for you. Why is it that the tips of our fingers and toes are so blessed sensitive? I broke off an acrylic back in the day, and it ripped half my natural fingernail off. They could hear me swearing a mild away.

It's amazing how much it can hurt! I really only have about 1/4 of a nail or less left, I am surprised it stayed on. I think I will take Laurie's advice and get the glue on one after work today. I really don't want to chance an infection from a salon, that would be just my luck! Plus all that stuff they use would really burn I bet. I am never growing my nails out again, they are all getting chopped off tonight. It's crazy, I played volleyball, softball, was in gymnastics and skiied and never broke a nail, now I break one opening my laptop! Such luck.

 

[Sugarmama]

Aww Chantel...that really hurts. I remember way back in the day, when I was in cosmetology school...the night we were learning how to do acrylic nails? I was stuck with the class idiot. I was so mad, I KNEW he was going to mess up my nails--they are usually naturally long and strong, and they had to be cut off for the fake ones.

I tried to ignore the kid as much as I could..until I felt pain. Wicked pain in my finger. The idiot had filed away a huge chunk of nail, right into the nail bed. The teacher was so mad at him, I was crying...it was awful. There was no fixing it; it just had to grow out.

The teacher looked it over and told me one thing, that I wanted to pass on to you--protect it with a fake nail, but don't get the glue on the nail bed. Only on the remaining bit of nail, or it's gonna hurt like heck--and, should the fake nail get ripped off for some reason, you don't want it tearing skin, only separating from the bit of nail.

Have you ever lost a nail before? It's really cool to watch; it grows through the nailbed from the bottom up, not out from the cuticle.

 

[Chinniechantel]

Aww Chantel...that really hurts. I remember way back in the day, when I was in cosmetology school...the night we were learning how to do acrylic nails? I was stuck with the class idiot. I was so mad, I KNEW he was going to mess up my nails--they are usually naturally long and strong, and they had to be cut off for the fake ones.

I tried to ignore the kid as much as I could..until I felt pain. Wicked pain in my finger. The idiot had filed away a huge chunk of nail, right into the nail bed. The teacher was so mad at him, I was crying...it was awful. There was no fixing it; it just had to grow out.

The teacher looked it over and told me one thing, that I wanted to pass on to you--protect it with a fake nail, but don't get the glue on the nail bed. Only on the remaining bit of nail, or it's gonna hurt like heck--and, should the fake nail get ripped off for some reason, you don't want it tearing skin, only separating from the bit of nail.

Have you ever lost a nail before? It's really cool to watch; it grows through the nailbed from the bottom up, not out from the cuticle.

Wow, thank you! I am going to have to keep an eye on it, I have never heard that about how it grows, that is very neat. At least there is something to look forward to. And thanks for the tip about the glue, and can see where that would be painful.

 

[mishellyshel]

make sure to file the fake nail all the way down so that doesnt catch on anything.
good luck. take some motrin, maybe it will take down the inflamation and help with the pain.

 

[Sugarmama]

Yeah, it's gonna look funky though! You may get lucky though--if the remaining bit of nail hasn't been traumatized, it *may* grow out normally. I know when I have completely lost nails though, it grows up--the nail bed kind of thickens--it's weird, I don't know how to fully describe it. It's not a pretty process though! LOL....

 

[Hobbes]

Aww Chantel...that really hurts. I remember way back in the day, when I was in cosmetology school...the night we were learning how to do acrylic nails? I was stuck with the class idiot. I was so mad, I KNEW he was going to mess up my nails--they are usually naturally long and strong, and they had to be cut off for the fake ones.

I tried to ignore the kid as much as I could..until I felt pain. Wicked pain in my finger. The idiot had filed away a huge chunk of nail, right into the nail bed. The teacher was so mad at him, I was crying...it was awful. There was no fixing it; it just had to grow out.

The teacher looked it over and told me one thing, that I wanted to pass on to you--protect it with a fake nail, but don't get the glue on the nail bed. Only on the remaining bit of nail, or it's gonna hurt like heck--and, should the fake nail get ripped off for some reason, you don't want it tearing skin, only separating from the bit of nail.

Have you ever lost a nail before? It's really cool to watch; it grows through the nailbed from the bottom up, not out from the cuticle.

I am a recent graduate of beauty school (I only went or nails though) and as I read your post I was wondering why he had to cut your nails? You can glue tips on existing nails, it defeats the purpose of adding length if you already have it, but there's no reason why he'd have to cut them. I know why he'd have to add the tips and not just do an overlay, but if I were stuck with that kid I'd make sure he did as little work as possible!

And Chantel, I know why you're weary about salon sanitation but I'd really let a professional fix your nail. I'd be worried about holding the glue 'just right' so you don't make a mess and get it where you don't want it. Just make sure you go to a nice/high end salon not the cheap in-and-out place at the mall. I'm not trying to sound rude or anything, but I'd pick a place where the techs speak English. The women that come to the salon I work at really like that about us, we're clean, we take out time, get to know you, and they can understand us.
Hope I was kind of helpful And I hope you get your nails fixed!

 

[Jenn]

My finger middle finger got slammed in a garage door last summer and the nail was just kind of hanging on. My finger hurt so bad...my hubby was at work and I was screaming and my kids thought I was dying. I put a bandaid around my finger to keep the nail from getting ripped off accidently. It did fall of within the week. It took almost a year for my finger nail to grow back and look normal again. It was deformed for awhile where the door had slammed shut on my finger. A year and a half later only I can recognize where it doesn't look quite right. Funny though, when the door first slammed shut on my finger, I was more annoyed than anything. I was mad that I had done that. When I looked at my finger and saw all the blood, that's when the pain really hurt me! Needless to say I am extra careful about where my fingers are when the garage door is closing - it shuts fast and hard when two doors are closing at the same time. But I can certainly identify the position you are in. Just make sure your fingernail is protected so it doesn't get ripped off. I never tried a fake nail - well, I had no nail to adhere it to, but it seems you could glue it onto the remaining nail, although it would seem easy to accidently catch on something and get ripped off. I would rather live with an ugly nail than have another accident happen that could rip off even more nail.

 

[Sugarmama]

Hobbes, we weren't just putting fake nails on--we were building acrylic nails, with the metal form. And the one nail he was working on had to be cut, because it was very nice and long, and didn't work well with the acrylic so I knew I'd be cutting off all the rest. He was only supposed to rough up the nail to make the acrylic stick--shortly after that incident, he was told to drop out. Fortunately, he did.

It was only one in a long list of things this guy did to torture us. Thankfully he was never turned loose on the public, anyway. He never would have passed his boards.

 

[addictedtochins]

The reason it hurts so bad is because there is almost no room at the fingertip to allow expansion for swelling. The blood rushes to any injured body part to heal it causing heat and swelling. Instead you end up with a "pulse point" in your fingertip.

 

[Chinniechantel]

My finger middle finger got slammed in a garage door last summer and the nail was just kind of hanging on. My finger hurt so bad...my hubby was at work and I was screaming and my kids thought I was dying. I put a bandaid around my finger to keep the nail from getting ripped off accidently. It did fall of within the week. It took almost a year for my finger nail to grow back and look normal again. It was deformed for awhile where the door had slammed shut on my finger. A year and a half later only I can recognize where it doesn't look quite right. Funny though, when the door first slammed shut on my finger, I was more annoyed than anything. I was mad that I had done that. When I looked at my finger and saw all the blood, that's when the pain really hurt me! Needless to say I am extra careful about where my fingers are when the garage door is closing - it shuts fast and hard when two doors are closing at the same time. But I can certainly identify the position you are in. Just make sure your fingernail is protected so it doesn't get ripped off. I never tried a fake nail - well, I had no nail to adhere it to, but it seems you could glue it onto the remaining nail, although it would seem easy to accidently catch on something and get ripped off. I would rather live with an ugly nail than have another accident happen that could rip off even more nail.

I was cringing nodding my head reading this...it would be terrible to have it happen again. Now I don't know what to do! Hopefully it will grow straight since I did not smash it, but it looks like it will fall off. Yuck! Typing is not so bad but actual writing hurts so much. But hey, it takes a little bit of the pain and attention away from my rib!

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

My youngest neice shut the oldest ones finger in a car door and it here finger broke off almost right at the cuticle. We just put a bandaid over it to keep dirty and stuff out. Evenually the nail grew back. it took a while.

 

[lauralynne]

Chantel -
I'd use a dab of superglue, let it dry, then buff it so it's smooth. Yes, it will sting, but it's going to if you glue a fake one on too. If you put a fake one on, that's going to make the rest of your nail soft and brittle when you take it off.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I am too scared to touch it! I just keep a fresh bandaid on it, and leave it alone. It looks awful, I am pretty sure the top 3/4 is going to fall off, it is purple and so bloody. It is not hurting much anymore, but looks just gross, so I keep a bandaid on. A nail is going to be so funny looking, I wonder if I can paint it so I don't see the blood?

 

[lauralynne]

I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I'll have to call my mom - she used to be a manicurist many moons ago.

 

[Rickman]

If it's purple beneath the nail, and throbbing, it's best to make a hole in it to relieve the pressure! Very small drill, or a red-hot pin will do it, but it will relieve the pressure and let it heal faster!
You'd be surprised at nails growing back! Many years ago I smashed the tip of my right index finger OFF - cartilage, nail, and 1/4" of bone! They said the nail wouldn't grow back, but it did! Now you wouldn't notice it unless I show you!! Very painfull, too!

 

[Chinniechantel]

If it's purple beneath the nail, and throbbing, it's best to make a hole in it to relieve the pressure! Very small drill, or a red-hot pin will do it, but it will relieve the pressure and let it heal faster!
You'd be surprised at nails growing back! Many years ago I smashed the tip of my right index finger OFF - cartilage, nail, and 1/4" of bone! They said the nail wouldn't grow back, but it did! Now you wouldn't notice it unless I show you!! Very painfull, too!

You have got to be kidding Rick are you some sort of Edward Gean!? Haha I can't drill a hole in wood, let alone my finger! Maybe with a needle, I thought you meant drill at first and thought you are trying to kill me!

 

[addictedtochins]

I just keep a fresh bandaid on it.

FYI They have the Littlest Petshop Bandaids with chinchillas! I got mine at Walmart.