# My toe nail fell off.... what now?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 4, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369 "2005-05-04T14:07:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LuckySevens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckySevens)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/1 "2005-05-04T14:07:43Z")
Ewww. After a few weeks of being blue and slowly loosening, its not finally fallen off.
Problem: I play rugby, and my big toe is now unprotected.
So what should I do? See a doctor? Do I need to? What precautions should I take?
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/2 "2005-05-04T14:23:38Z")
> [@LuckySevens](#):
>
> Ewww. After a few weeks of being blue and slowly loosening, its not finally fallen off.
>
> Problem: I play rugby, and my big toe is now unprotected.
>
> So what should I do? See a doctor? Do I need to? What precautions should I take?
>
> Thanks.
See a doctor, keep it clean. It “should” grow back.
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### Author:  [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/3 "2005-05-04T14:25:35Z")
IANAD, but I would just keep a band-aid with neosporin or similar on it. Before too long it should stop being so sore.
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### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/4 "2005-05-04T14:32:09Z")
I happen to be an expert in this, since my big toenail dropped off (after I dropped a chopping board on my foot :eek: ).
My doctor said I should definitely keep it clean (risk of infection) and it would grow back.
After three weeks I have an ugly ‘lump’ of replacement nail covering about half the original area.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/5 "2005-05-04T14:44:16Z")
One of my smaller toenails dropped of painlessly after a particularly hard march in basic training. It grew back within a couple of weeks, and I didn’t put anything stronger than foot powder on it.
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/6 "2005-05-04T14:45:48Z")
My great toenail came off after a softball incident. Grew back with no trouble. Save the old nail, when they dry up they kind of curl up into a U shape.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/7 "2005-05-04T15:27:21Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> Save the old nail, when they dry up they kind of curl up into a U shape.
I aquired one of these last month, after bare-foot tripping on the stairs while carrying concrete blocks. I’m not sure what to do with it though. Maybe get it silver plated and mounted on a malachite base?
Once the toe is moderately healed, do not keep a bandage on it. That’ll just make things soggy. If you insist on playing rugby, be prepared for some pain (as if NOT! 😉 ), and maybe get one of those foam toe tubes at the druggists. They’re usually kept next to the sole inserts.
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### Author:  [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-toe-nail-fell-off-what-now/302369/8 "2005-05-04T16:37:10Z")
Do clean your toe well. My husband had part of the old toemail hang on at the base and that caused problems for the new toenail until I removed the last remnants.