If a toenail falls off, clean the area, cover it with a bandage, and keep it dry. See a doctor if it looks infected or the cause is unclear.
Steps
- Clean the area with soap and water.
- Stop bleeding with pressure.
- Apply antibiotic ointment and a bandage.
- Keep dry and wear open shoes.
Regrowth
A toenail takes 12 to 18 months to regrow.
Causes
Injury, fungus, or tight shoes.
See a doctor
If you see pus, redness, severe pain, or it fell off with no cause, or you have diabetes.
Prevention
Wear fitted shoes and trim nails straight.
First steps
- Do not pull off the remaining nail if it is partly attached. Trim the loose edge with clean clippers if it catches.
- Clean the area with soap and water.
- Apply antibiotic ointment and cover with a bandage.
- Keep it dry and change the dressing daily.
- Wear roomy shoes or open toe shoes, and protect the nail bed.
- Use a pain reliever if needed.
Healing and regrowth
Toenails grow slowly at about 1 millimeter per month. A new toenail takes 12 to 18 months to grow back fully, compared with 4 to 6 months for a fingernail. The new nail may look thicker or ridged at first.
Causes
- Injury: dropping something on the foot, stubbing the toe or running in tight shoes (runner’s toenail), often with blood under the nail.
- Fungal infection (onychomycosis), which affects about 10% of people.
- Psoriasis.
- Chemotherapy and certain medicines.
- Circulatory problems or diabetes.
- Ingrown nail or infection.
Blood under the nail
A subungual hematoma that is painful can be drained by a doctor if large.
Signs of infection
Increasing redness, swelling, warmth, throbbing pain, yellow or green drainage, bad smell, red streaks or fever.
See a doctor if
There’s an infection, a deep cut or the nail bed is injured, the nail fell off with no known cause, you have diabetes, poor circulation or a weak immune system. Doctors may prescribe antibiotics or treat fungus.
Prevention
- Wear properly fitting shoes with space in the toe box.
- Trim toenails straight across.
- Keep feet clean and dry.
- Wear protective footwear at work or in sports.
- Check for fungus early.
Healing and regrowth
A toenail that falls off will grow back slowly, usually taking 12 to 18 months to regrow fully, compared with about 6 months for a fingernail. Common causes are injury, repeated pressure from tight shoes (“runner’s toe”), fungal infection, which affects about 10 percent of adults, psoriasis, chemotherapy and blood collecting under the nail (subungual hematoma). Clean the area with mild soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, cover with a bandage and change it daily until the nail bed hardens.
Care and warning signs
Do not pull off a partly attached nail. Wear roomy shoes and protect the toe. See a doctor if the toe is very painful, has pus, spreading redness, red streaks or fever, if you have diabetes or poor circulation, or if the nail does not regrow normally, appears thick or discolored. A podiatrist can drain a painful blood collection and treat fungus with topical or oral medicines. Keep nails trimmed straight across and shoes properly fitted to prevent recurrence.
Based on data from the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Podiatric Medical Association
