DH Lost Toenail! How long to grow back???

[baymule]

My husband stubbed his big toe, slid it under the couch and tore it off. It was sticking straight up, barely hanging on and he ripped it the rest of the way off. It hurts him like a constant throbbing pain. We are treating it with hot epsom salt soaks, antibiotic ointment with bandaids so he can go to work and then at home, we open it to the air. It has been 3 days and he is going nuts. Does anyone know how long it takes to grow it back?

 

[savingdogs]

It is a pretty slow process. My daughter lost her thumb tip and it was a month before it was grown back reasonably, longer before it looked like a nail is supposed to and the nail has always been a little weird since then. But the acute pain only lasted a few days. There is a row of special cells they call nail bed cells and those will create the new nail for him. It is a slow process. Is he taking some anti inflammatories like Advil or Motrin?

 

[Wannabefree]

It took mine 8 months to grow back when I did that at work, and the pain was horrible for the first several days. I could barely walk it was so sore. Big toenails are WAY more important than I gave them credit for before that...it truly stinks when you damage the nail like that. I feel for him!!!

 

[moolie]

I dropped a heavy glass bowl on my right big toe as I was clearing the table from Christmas dinner, entire toenail turned black and within a week all the soaking had it off (and the pressure relieved!)

As of today it is about 2/3 grown back

It's a little ripply at the leading edge (like wave marks on a sandy beach), but the rest of it is smooth and looks like normal toenail.

 

[baymule]

Thanks Savingdogs, DH is not taking Advil or Motrin. He is just toughing it out like the big he man he is.

Wannabefree, I will give him the good news that he will be toenail-less till next year!

He just said S---T!! EIGHT MONTHS???? ARGGHH!!
followed by; @#$^*&(&%$@#$^&)^&

It's gonna be a loooooong eight months..........

Thanks so much for the responses, all I could tell him was that it would be awhile, now he he has a time line.

 

[baymule]

I dropped a heavy glass bowl on my right big toe as I was clearing the table from Christmas dinner, entire toenail turned black and within a week all the soaking had it off (and the pressure relieved!)

As of today it is about 2/3 grown back

It's a little ripply at the leading edge (like wave marks on a sandy beach), but the rest of it is smooth and looks like normal toenail.

I just read your post to DH and he counted up the months. He is not a patient man......suck it up sweetie.

 

[Wannabefree]

Thanks Savingdogs, DH is not taking Advil or Motrin. He is just toughing it out like the big he man he is.

Wannabefree, I will give him the good news that he will be toenail-less till next year!

He just said S---T!! EIGHT MONTHS???? ARGGHH!!
followed by; @#$^*&(&%$@#$^&)^&

It's gonna be a loooooong eight months..........

Thanks so much for the responses, all I could tell him was that it would be awhile, now he he has a time line.

It's NOT really bothersome after the first few weeks, once the soreness is gone...it DID take that long to completely grow back though. :/ Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Oh and, when it does grow back, he may have to keep it clipped shorter. Mine grew back with more of a curve and the sides dig into my toe if not kept clipped fairly short. It's not too bad though. Ya get used to it after a few weeks and then it's just ugly as mud for a while

 

[OrganicKale]

I am a diabetic and for some reason, my toenails just fall off sometimes. It takes months for them to grow back. I never had this problem before I got diabetes.

 

[patandchickens]

It's been too long since I lost any toenails to remember with accuracy, but I toasted a thumbnail a couple years ago and it was about 6-7 months to come fully back.

As others have said, the early part is the worst. The more you can stand to leave it exposed to air (between epsom salts soaks, if there is some question of infection, but skip them if it seems ok) the better, b/c the exposed nailbed needs to dry off and become skinlike in order to become less sensitive.

Your husband has my total sympathy, that REALLY hurts, and I hope he's feeling better soon (but it may be a week or more).

Good luck,

Pat

 

[Damummis]

Nails grow 1/8th to 1/4 of an inch a month. However, they grow faster in warm weather than cold weather. Diet plays a huge role too on how fast they grow.

I had to know that to pass the state boards.