Today I was kicked in the foot by mistake while wearing flip flops and half of my toenail was ripped off. It hurts so bad. Can someone tell me how to treat it and if it will grow back under the skin or like a regular nail?
Thanks xoxo

Hi I am in the same boat and will try to help you. My toenail was just ripped up 3 days ago. It was standing straight up on my toe and completely ripped out of one side! OWWWWWWW! It is still throbbing and in a lot of pain, I have been doing a lot of reading and am learning as I go. I soaked it in an ice water and tea tree oil bath both days since, I have had bandages on it since it happened but am trying to get some air to it today to keep infection risk down. Make sure you are using somethhing to kill bacteria, DILLUTED peroxide, epsom salts, tea trea oil, at least neosporin, wich I'm using as well. Then I dry it WELL, put neosporin on it and wrap it with plasticy covered strips so that they don't stick and hurt coming off, then wrap it with cloth roll bandeges and tape, loosely to allow plenty of circulation, keep it elevated as much as humanly possibe, even while sleeping as this allows a fresh supply of oxigenated blood to get to it and keep old blood from pooling. From the reading I am doing, looks like we will probably get a new toenail Eventually! Up to a year or longer for it to be semi normal though. Looks like we'll have to have a lot of patience! For now my main concern is PAIN! I don't even care about a new toenail right now! Lots and lots of Ibuprofen are my savior since I didn't go to the er I don't have the good stuff. I'm also glad I ditn't go there, my opinion is that they would have ripped it off compeatley and not been very gentle, I also think its important that the current nail act as a protector of the very tender nail bed as a new nail starts to grow. Well that's all for now- hope this helps!

Hi, I'm a self trained lay person, and have studyed at the level of the EMT-basic. Just today I was ask to help out with this same problem. From my training and experience the best treatment I can recommend would be to soak the wound in warm soppy water, put an anticeptic on the wound, and bandage with a bandaid or if you have any gauze this is best. DO NOT REMOVE THE NAIL. I tried to explan this to the guy I helped today and he wanted it off. If you do this, sanitize the tools used to remove the nail, sanitize the nail, and have gauze ready in case of bleeding. Bandage the wound. In any case you should see a doctor within the next week. Sooner if you do remove the nail. If it gets infected go straight to the hospital, IT CAN GET INFECTED AND IT CAN KILL YOU, you may also loose that toe/finger.

I hope this helps.

Wow Junior... Your mail is so reassuring... Especially the end! (LOL)... I don't know if I would like to become a patient of yours... Diplomatie in your business is highly recommended and although I understand that there are always risks for very critical infections, your use of words is very important. Anyway, it just happened to me about 1/2 hour ago and I will go and soak my feet, disinfect to the max and hope that I don't die overnight ;)