# Question regarding broken fingernail **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2011, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-broken-fingernail/586275 "2011-06-21T09:21:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-broken-fingernail/586275/1 "2011-06-21T09:21:04Z")
I broke my fingernail mostly in half, going across the finger. It is fully healed now, but the broken fingernail of course remains. Since its across the finger, not lengthwise, will the front half still grow out? Or will it be grown over/under by the back half? My thought was to get a press on nail and glue it on over top of the two broken pieces. This would also protect from snags since I do a ton of work with my hands. Bad idea? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-broken-fingernail/586275/2 "2011-06-21T12:15:27Z")
It will grow out. The area beneath the broken nail will harden into a new nail. Eventually, the old nail will fall off. I’d use a Band-Aid instead of a press-on nail. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-broken-fingernail/586275/3 "2011-06-21T12:25:05Z")
Thing is i don’t think its going to fall off. Some parts I’m sure are disconnected, but not even close to the whole thing. A rather sharp wedge broke it, it wasn’t crushed by a hammer or something similarly blunt.