What is Nail Avulsion

Nail avulsion is when a nail tears away from the nail bed due to an accident or an injury.

Nail avulsion can be painful. Your finger or toe may bleed a lot, and you may have some pain, redness, throbbing, and swelling while it heals. Your nail will grow back within several months. Once it grows back, it might not look the same. This may happen even after taking good care of it.

Follow these instructions at home:

Wound care

• Clean any dirt and debris from the wound.
• If you notice bleeding, press gently on the nailbed with a gauze pad. Do this for 15 minutes.
• If a health care provider closed your wound with stitches (sutures), leave them in place. They may need to stay in place for 2 weeks or longer. You may need to see your health care provider to have them removed.
• Keep the wound dry for 48 hours. After 48 hours have passed, lightly wash the finger or toe in warm, soapy water 2–3 times a day. This helps to reduce pain and swelling and prevent infection.

Dressing Care

• Cover the wound with a clean gauze bandage (dressing). You may be able to stop wearing a dressing after 2‒7 days.
• Wash your hands with soap and water before you change your dressing. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
• Change the dressing once or twice a day. Always change the dressing:
  • If the dressing gets wet or dirty.
  • After washing your finger or toe.

Medicine

• Take over-the-counter pain medicine as needed. Do not take aspirin or products containing aspirin unless directed by your health care provider. These products can increase bleeding.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it or apply it as told by your health care provider. Do not stop taking or using the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.

General instructions

• Keep the hand or foot with the nail injury raised above the level of your heart as much as possible. This helps to reduce pain and swelling.
• Move the toe or finger often to avoid stiffness.
• Do not smoke. Smoking can delay healing. If you need help quitting, talk to your health care provider.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have swelling or pain that gets worse instead of better.
• You have fluid, blood, or pus coming from your wound.
• Your wound smells bad.

Get help right away if:

• You have bleeding that does not stop, even when you apply pressure to the wound.
• You have a temperature that is higher than 104°F (40°C).
• You cannot move your fingers or toes.
• The affected finger or toe looks white or black.