About 2 weeks ago I hit the tip of my big toe so hard that the toe was red and the nail turned blue almost immediatly. About 4-5 days ago the nail started leaking a bloody/watery discharge from under the nail. Then it turned to just a watery discharge, no blood. The nail is no longer blue it is snow white. It no longer seeps water unless I mess around with it. The toe itself does'nt hurt any more. The doctor prescribed me antibiotics and said that the nail would probebly fall off within the next 3 weeks.
Anyone ever had this and did your nail fall off? I've never lost a nail before. Is it painful? Will another nail grow in?

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 09:33 am:

OUCH! Yes, you *probably* will lose the nail. I dropped a Corningware dish on my foot the year I was getting married and it was NASTY, sounded a lot like yours. Went to a podiatrist and he wanted to remove the nail and I wouldn't let him. It eventually fell off, and I wish I HAD let him remove it at the time, because it takes 9 or 10 months for it to completely grow back!.

It will be sensitive for a while, but once it falls off, the skin will heal. Try to protect it, with no nail it will hurt if you bump it hard. But the nail WILL grow back completely, it just takes a while. Just be careful when it starts to loosen up to fall off - it will get caught on socks and towels. You might even want to put a bandaid on your toe at that point until it falls off.

By Palmbchprincess on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 10:19 am:

I've lost a nail from hitting and breaking my big toe. The nail falling off doesn't hurt, and Karen is right, the skin will be a bit sensitive, but the nail will grow back quickly. Shane had surgery to remove his nail back in August when he broke his toe, and his nail is almost fully grown in like normal. (Granted, children heal quicker) Mine didn't take as long as Karen's but it will be a few months.

By Missmudd on Tuesday, January 18, 2005 - 11:44 am:

OHh I feel woozy, I dont know why I read this post. I hate toes and that darn commercial where the fungus crawls under the nail EWW!! GL on your toe