How to Try and Save Your Toenail or Fingernail After an Injury

Whenever you have an injury to your fingernail or your toenail you should always seek medical attention to save it. If you have the kind of injury where something has falling on your fingers or on your toes, or you smashed it causing your fingernail or toenail to come off, you can still save it if you go to the emergency room to have it checked out, they can give you an x-ray to determine if it's broken or not, and if the nail is still attached they can clean it properly with some anticipated and also clean the wound out with a water solution. They will also put some stitches in around three or four to keep the nail attached so that it doesn't fall off, it's saving your nail.

When the stitches are put in you will not feel it because they will numb it with some Novocaine like what they use when you go to the dentist office to have your cavities repaired, you don't feel that when the dentist is working on your teeth, it's the same thing when you get the stitches put in your fingernail or toenail when the nail is about to fall off it can be stitched back together. If the nail does fall you'll still regrow another one, but, that's only if it come all the way off and you don't have a choice except to wait for it to grow back and it may not look the same depending how bad it was damages, it will also turn black and blue or purple in color, this color will go away once the nail has heeled itself but, if you can save your nail try to save it, many don't go to the doctor and just pull it off or let it fall off.

When you smash your fingers or toenail it's very painful, you should let the doctor have a look at it to try and save the nail, the doctor will also put some anti bacteria on it and wrap it with some gauze than wrap with some medical tape to hold the gauze in place, you will need to have the the wound checked in about five days and have the stitches removed in about seven to ten days. Since you will not feel the stitches being put in, why not let them try to attache the nail back in place and put some antibacterial on it so it won't get infected. They will also subscribe some pain pills for you, like some motrin 600mg which is stronger than the ones you buy over the counter at the drug stores, you'll need to take them three times per day for pain and inflammation from the wound. If it's your toenail it will be sore the next day so you may have to limp a little when you're walking.

You will need to keep the wound clean, and change the bandages everyday to prevent infection, you can wash around the wound but wait until the stitches are removed before you submerge it into water.

To avoid injury to your fingernails or toenails always be conscious of them, like when you're cutting something in the kitchen, or hammering something, getting in and out of the car to keep from smashing your fingers in the door, or opening and closing a door always keep your fingers in mind. For your toenails always try not to do dangerous work whereas you're lifting something heavy that could possibly fall on your toes, when working on these type of things ware protected shoes that cover your toes, and never ware shoes with open toes while moving heavy things around that could fall on your toes and injury them. These types of accidents happens when people are not conscious of what they're working on and not paying attention, always keep your eyes on your fingers and protect your toes with the proper shoes, try to wear some shoes with a steel toe protection.