Dear Internet: What to do about a broken nail?

Random and likely gross I know, but I have no experience with broken nails so could use some advice...

Anyways, so my index finger has a broken nail halfway down that runs from one side to the middle of the nail. I can't easily cut it without making matters worse. Currently it snags on stuff every once in awhile and slowly digs farther down.

What are my options? Will using some sort of glue help, or should I just be using some sort of press on coke nail over top of it until it grows out. Again, know this is gross, but this shit's painful and I figured someone out there has gone through something similar.

pics or it didn't happen.

I always just keep a bandaid on it at all times until it grows out to avoid it snagging on anything.

ask neogaf.com

Cover it up?

I think you win least-manly-post-on-gb (unless this was the result of a tiger-battle).

I had a toe nail that kept bothering me, went to the podiatrist. They numbed it and cut it out. Perhaps the doctor could do something. Otherwise I don't know, perhaps just a bandaid, and let it grow out.

Clear nailpolish. thick layer could work.

@snide: Try filing the part that snags with an emery board til its smooth. Eventually it will all work itself out as the new nail grows in.

Bandaid or medical tape until it grows out.

Ouch. I jumped off a swing when I was about 7 and my nail stayed behind in the swing's chain. Something tells me swing sets these days either don't have chains or they're covered. Anyway, I remember a doctor just putting a bandage over it and waiting for it to grow back. This isn't helpful, but I thought I'd contribute to grossing people out.

Oh, and about a year later a friend was showing off what she'd been learning in gymnastics. Did you know that doing a split on an old hardwood floor can result a toenail getting caught between the boards as it slides across and get pulled completely off?

bandaids it like fuck

@Dagbiker said:

I had a toe nail that kept bothering me, went to the podiatrist. They numbed it and cut it out. Perhaps the doctor could do something. Otherwise I don't know, perhaps just a bandaid, and let it grow out.

That's what happened to me but after looking at that picture wrapping up the finger for a while will be just fine.

@Ho_Blivion said:

@snide: Try filing the part that snags with an emery board til its smooth. Eventually it will all work itself out as the new nail grows in.

I've done this. It works temporarily till a new snag pops it back up.

Use super glue to help mend the break and then cover it with something (cotton and bandage works great) until it heals.

Encase the finger in carbonite.

@snide said:

Damn.... Sorry to say this but, I think amputation is needed. I'm sorry :/

Oh, no, isn't that pic against the forum rules for posting gore?

Use an adhesive strip

@A_Pretty_Panda: you're an actual panda on here :o

I just weep...a lot.

If you can effectively keep it out of harms way with like a bandage, bandaid or something it will heal itself. Kind of like splinting a broken bone.

I'd vote superglue. I would of course make sure to clean it as best you can first lest you trap the dirt and bacteria in. I mean in many cases superglue is already used for medical reasons to hold wounds together. Seems like your best bet really.

Agree with the plaster/band-aid/tape route. Used to shred nails on a regular basis during various sporting endeavours, and the doctor numb and cut, while effective, suuuuuuuucks. Taping it is momentarily inconvenient but it works well and will also serve as a reminder you have something on your finger you need to be aware of and not jam in a pocket or something.

Well according to my Dad's technique after slicing his thumb with an electric planer, anything "small wound" should glue right up, he can fell the tip of his finger anymore but...

Seriously though, I think since is more close to the tip of the finger maybe will kinda glue and after the nail grows a little bit will be better, but not 100% anymore until , the nail is brand new..

Fucking ouch. Maybe wrap it up in a bandage until it heals so it doesn't catch?

Welp, now i can't sleep.

A lost my entire big toe nail in a bizarre in-door mini-golf course accident, and a year later it has grown completely back! Whatever you do, you'll be fine.

Yup, finger can't be saved. Take it at the joint, you'll get through quicker there.

Or just cover it with band-aid and give it a few weeks. But if you aren't patient enough just lop it off. Not like left index fingers matter a whole lot, you'll just always shoot from the hip in Borderlands from here on out.

Bite it off! Your whole finger that is.

cut off the hanging part and then band aid it up.

Ouch! I had my pinky partially crushed in an airport baggage carrier conveyer thing when I was young (not as bad as it sounds, no broken bones, just a lot of pain and what looked like blood underneath the fingernail). It took months, but slowly over time the entire nail just eventually fell off while another one was sorta growing underneath.

No idea if the same thing will happen in your case, but I don't think there's much you can do about it but wait it out.

Clip your entire nail to get rid of all the excess "white," then band-aid it, and make sure as you're doing so you're wrapping/pulling the band-aid and nail in the direction that will press it further down and not pull it up, obviously. In my experience though band-aids often fall off quickly when on the tip of a finger, so gauze/medical tape would perhaps work better, and then just wrap it down your entire finger, or until it feels secure.

Then, when they ask, tell people it's the result of a knife fight, and finish the story with "you should see the other guy," before turning and walking into the sunset slowly, white tanktop blowing lazily in the wind behind you.

The reason not to go for a band aid is because for some reason my thumb also has this condition. Woke up one morning with both broke. Can't figure it out for the life of me how it happened. Trying to avoid looking like an idiot with two fingers bandaged up for a month.

@snide said:

should I just be using some sort of press on coke nail over top of it until it grows out.

I advocate this only if we get video of you with large Acrylic nails.

@snide

Or get a fancy butterfly bandage for fingers.

Bandaid like a champ, head on over to a nail salon this weekend to see if they can do anything? People who deal with nails for a living are sure to know more about this shit.

And if they can't then you can at least get a foot massage/pedicure to help you forget the troubles of your life!

I usually just yank the problematic portion out and wait for it to grow back.

Your first mistake was asking medical advise on OT. (a lot of weird shit gets suggested as usual) Better not make another by dipping it in carbonite or using glue.

Try to clean the wound a little bit with some desinfectant or alcohol. Then apply some band aid or at least wrap something around your nail that's clean/sterile. Wait for the nail to grow out so you can cut it. Never ever put strange substances onto (open) wounds. Undeneath the surface of an open nail are many small cappilaries, if you don't clean it properly (or take stupid advice from OT) you can easily get infections.

It seems like a good protective crust already has formed ont the wound, just don't touch it and leave it like that. These things usually heal without doing anything.

Dave, are you a werewolf?

what is

WHAT IS GOING ON?

You could always try super gluing it, and if that doesn't work going to the doctor and having them cut it, it takes an hour at most. I didn't mind when they cut my toe nail, it felt weird, but that was it, didn't hurt, and I could use it with in 24 hours.

Super glue sounds interesting, I myself would probably use that medical grade tape. Tape gets dirty though and can be awkward using that finger for typing etc. My only problem w/ the glue route (besides it working) is to make sure it only does the fingernail. Underneath might be sensitive and you don't want/need it to bind. Trouble is it's going to take a while to grow out. Can a docter just apply lidocaine(surface app.) and take it across for you? That's what that nail really wants....

@Barrock said:

Dave, are you a werewolf?

Yes. I mean no.

The reason not to go for a band aid is because for some reason my thumb also has this condition. Woke up one morning with both broke. Can't figure it out for the life of me how it happened. Trying to avoid looking like an idiot with two fingers bandaged up for a month.

duder you can say you're a Pro volleyball player!

Had this happen a few times also. Unfortunately, you're just going to have to wait until the nail grows enough to cut that broken part off. In the meantime, wrap it with a band-aid. I'm sure wrapping it in anything makes it harder to type, though. If it gets really snagged on something it's going to get even worse and you'll be in a lot of pain.

crazy glue.