Cut on side of nail: Nail injuries: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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Nail injuries: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

A nail injury occurs when any part of your nail becomes injured. This includes the nail, nail bed (skin underneath the nail), cuticle (base of the nail), and the skin around the sides of the nail.

An injury occurs when the nail is cut, torn, smashed, or bruised, or the nail is torn away from the skin.

Smashing your finger in a door, hitting it with a hammer or other heavy object, or cutting it with a knife or other sharp object can cause a nail injury.

Depending on the type of injury, you may notice:

Bleeding underneath the nail (subungual hematoma)
Throbbing pain
Bleeding on or around the nail
Cuts or tears to the nail, cuticle, or other skin around the nail (nail lacerations)
The nail pulling away from the nail bed partly or completely (nail avulsion)

Treatment depends on the type and seriousness of the injury.

You may be able to care for a nail injury at home if you can stop the bleeding quickly and:

The nail is not cut or torn and is still attached to the nail bed
You have a nail bruise that is less than one fourth the size of your nail
Your finger or toe is not bent or misshapen

To care for your nail injury:

Remove all jewelry from your hand. Apply soap, if needed, to help rings slip off your fingers. If you cannot remove a ring because your finger is swollen, call your health care provider.
Gently wash any minor cuts or scrapes.
Apply a bandage if needed.

For more serious nail injuries, you should go to an urgent care center or the emergency room. They will stop the bleeding and clean the wound. Usually, the nail and finger or toe will be numbed with medicine before it is treated.

Nail bed injuries:

For a larger bruise, your provider will create a small hole in the nail.
This will allow fluid to drain out and relieve the pressure and pain.
If the bone is broken or the bruise is very large, the nail may need to be removed and the nail bed repaired.

Nail lacerations or avulsions:

Part or all of the nail may be removed.
Cuts in the nail bed will be closed with stitches.
The nail will be reattached with a special glue or stitches.
If the nail cannot be reattached, your provider may replace it with a special type of material. This will remain on the nail bed as it heals.
Your provider may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.

If you have a broken bone, your provider may need to place a wire in your finger to keep the bone in place.

You should:

Apply ice for 20 minutes every 2 hours on the first day, then 3 to 4 times a day after that.
To reduce the throbbing, keep your hand or foot above the level of your heart.

Take prescription pain relievers as directed. Or you can use ibuprofen or naproxen to reduce pain and swelling. Acetaminophen helps with pain, but not swelling. You can buy these pain medicines without a prescription.

Talk with your provider before using these medicines if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or have had stomach ulcers or internal bleeding in the past.
Do not take more than the amount recommended on the bottle or by your provider.

You should:

Follow your provider’s recommendations to care for your wound.
If you have an artificial nail, it should stay in place until your nail bed heals.
If your provider recommends it, change the dressing every day.
If your provider says it is OK, you can apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment to keep the dressing from sticking.
You may be given a splint or special shoe to help protect your nail and finger or toe as they heal.
Often, a new nail will grow in and replace the old nail, pushing it off as it grows.

If you lose your nail, it will take about 7 to 10 days for the nail bed to heal. A new fingernail will take about 4 to 6 months to grow to replace the lost nail. Toenails take about 12 months to grow back.

The new nail will probably have grooves or ridges and be somewhat misshapen. This may be permanent.

If you broke a bone in your finger or toe along with the nail injury, it will take about 4 weeks to heal.

Call your provider if:

Redness, pain, or swelling increases
Pus (yellow or white fluid) drains from the wound
You have a fever
You have bleeding that does not stop

Nail laceration; Nail avulsion; Nail bed injury; Subungual hematoma

Stearns DA, Peak DA. Hand. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 43.

Stone DB, Scordino DJ. Foreign body removal. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB, Thomsen TW, eds. Roberts and Hedges’ Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 36.

Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D. A.M. Editorial team.

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — By Corey Whelan — Updated on March 8, 2019

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Chang P. (2015). Diagnosis using the proximal and lateral nail folds. DOI:
doi.org/10.1016/j.det.2014.12.004
Hangnails. (n.d.).
aad.org/public/kids/nails/hangnails
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Fingernails: do’s and don’ts for healthy nails.
mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/nails/art-20044954
Nail hygiene. (n.d.).
cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/nail_hygiene.html
Why you should never, ever rip off your hangnail. (2018).
blog.handcare.org/blog/2018/02/18/why-you-should-never-ever-rip-off-your-hangnail/
Your nails. (2015).
kidshealth.org/en/kids/your-nails.html

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Medically reviewed by Cynthia Cobb, DNP, APRN, WHNP-BC, FAANP — By Corey Whelan — Updated on March 8, 2019

Free edge of the nail – pro.

bhub.com.ua

1
Free edge as part of the nail plate
- 2
  Features of creating different forms of the free edge of the nail
  - 3
    What can cause injury to the free edge of the nail?
    Free edge as part of the nail plate
    The nail is the nail plate itself, the front edge of which is called the free edge. The tip of the nail, which is no longer located on the nail bed itself, but protrudes above the base of the finger. The free edge originates from the ingrowth points and covers the distal ridge.
    The most vulnerable part of the nail, which is easily broken and injured, is just the free edge. The key to an impeccable manicure, in addition to a well-groomed cuticle and a beautiful design, is a correctly selected and carefully executed one or another form of the free edge of the nail, which also helps to visually correct the shape of the hands and fingers.
    Features of creating different forms of the free edge of the nail
    Using a nail file, you can create any shape of the free edge, adhering to a certain technology. A square shape with sharp corners and a “soft square” shape (with rounded corners) are made at the initial stage according to the same principle: straight parallel sides on the sides must be cut out. Next, to create a “sharp square”, you should file a straight line of the free edge with a nail file (holding it perpendicular to the nail). To obtain a “soft square”, the sharp corners of the free edge are slightly rounded with a nail file.
    The creation of similar oval and almond-shaped nail shapes free edge is also distinguished by the filing technique. To get an oval shape, you need to cut the sides and the free edge itself along the visual extreme marks, and then round the edges. The almond-shaped shape is made as follows: substituting the file under the sharp corners of the nail, you need to cut them completely to the extreme marks, then gently smooth the edges, giving the nail the shape of an almond.
    Properly selected shape and well-shaped free edge of the nail is not only a beautiful appearance of the nails, but also the prevention of many troubles that lead to damage to the free edge and even such a very unpleasant problem as “ingrown toenail”.
    What can cause injury to the free edge of the nail?
    The free edge of the nail is easily damaged by hair or clothing, especially if the nail is long. Also, the cause of injury can be a violation of the technology of applying a decorative coating, as a result of which it moves away from the very tip of the nail.
    Detachment can be caused by the use of low-quality coating materials or the use of cosmetics from different manufacturers. Sometimes insufficiently dried applied coating layers on the nails or even moving the hands during drying in the lamp also lead to the fact that the coating itself does not adhere well to the nail plate as a whole or in certain places (which can be the area of the free edge).
    At the end of the manicure, it is also important to seal the cut of the nail well – the butt, because it is the weakest point of the manicure. A poorly closed (unsealed) cut of the nail plate often causes the coating on the nails to peel off and crack, break off, and this leads to injury to the free edge.
    Related materials
    Hyponychium
    The hyponychium is a sensitive growth layer of the epithelium, which is formed from the cells of the nail bed and protects the natural nail from infection and dirt. In the process of formation, the hyponychia adheres tightly to the free edge of the nail plate on the reverse side with a thin layer.
    Sinuses of the nail
    The sinuses of the nail are depressions that form at the junction of the nail plate and the lateral ridges.
    Toenails grow into fingers: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, clinical and surgical treatment, prevention
    Kdpconsulting.ru
    fingers, life becomes unbearable . When walking, a sharp pain pierces the foot, you have to carefully calculate each step. In this case, it becomes so difficult to maintain hygiene that an infection almost always joins, due to which an abscess forms on the nail roller. In the future, the night’s sleep disappears due to unbearable pain. If you miss the moment of going to the doctor, a complication appears in the form of panaritium. And it is so dangerous that you can lose a finger.
    © Kdpconsulting.ru
    The problem starts small. A normal, healthy nail has a natural transverse curve. Suddenly, it begins to bend too much on one side and grows deep into the side roller. If no action is taken, the direction of growth of the nail plate changes and the situation worsens. Why is this happening?
    Video of the day
    Symptoms of an ingrown nail
    It is possible to independently determine whether a large nail has grown in or not only when the process has gone far. The pain does not appear immediately. First, there is a feeling of fullness in the side roller, then when putting on shoes, it may seem that it has become tight. Later, when walking, there is a sensation of a foreign body under the nail. This means that the nail on the big toe has begun to grow.
    During ingrowth, swelling of the lateral ridge always appears, it is hyperemic, painful. Pain often appears under the healthy edge of the nail from the butt (from the side of the ingrowth). The skin on the roller becomes thinner and shiny. The swelling is quite large, so it is impossible to wear closed shoes. When ingrown, the nail changes its transverse bend, which is clearly visible from the end. Its edge can be bent under the nail plate, thereby pinching soft tissues. The transverse bend may, on the contrary, decrease and become almost flat in cross section, trapezoidal. It injures the lateral roller, increasing the width of the nail bed.
    The disease begins with the formation of an ulcer in this place. It gets wet, the body tries to heal the wound, but excessive growth of soft tissue begins. In the people, this granulation was called “wild meat”. The condition becomes chronic.
    Diagnosis of the problem
    Onychocryptosis (the so-called ingrown toenail) can be diagnosed only when viewed from the end. You can’t do this on your own, but you can visit a pedicure room. The master will determine the cause of discomfort and differentiate the ingrown nail from calluses, warts, incorrectly cut free edges or injuries. Often a foreign body is found in the sinus of the lateral roller, which irritates the delicate skin. It can be a splinter, a hair, a grain of sand, or a part of your own nail that was not removed earlier when cutting the length. Such shavings first fall on the roller, and then can be deeply rubbed when wearing tight shoes.
    If the diagnosis determines that the problem is not ingrown, it will be solved immediately. It will be more difficult when the plate has already begun to bend, the roller is hyperemic and enlarged due to edema. You can determine if there is inflammation of the tissues by tapping on the nail. In response, the person will indicate the point at which pain is felt.
    When an infection has joined and an abscess appears, this means that the tissues have begun to melt. In this case, it is better to consult a podiatrist. If he decides that conservative treatment can be dispensed with, ointments will be prescribed. Otherwise, you will have to fix the nail with a brace. The surgeon usually simply removes part of the nail along with the root. But after such a radical treatment, the width of the nail plate decreases, and the cause of ingrowth is not always eliminated.
    Tests to be done include a blood glucose test to rule out diabetes and a general test to confirm inflammation. Ingrown toenail situations
    There are several conditions in which toenails grow into fingers. These are the following situations: Incorrect cutting of nails. It is well known that a straight cut is made on the legs. But it is also important to cut off the overgrown length in time so as not to spoil the natural transverse bend of the nail plate. When this is done rarely, the nails begin to grow trapezoidal. Their corners break off as they grow. Therefore, a person begins to cut them off, forming not a straight, but a semicircular cut. With the next length correction, you can easily injure the delicate skin of the roller with the sharp ends of the scissors. Or, conversely, insufficient penetration of the scissors causes an incision in the nail. It is cut off, but a burr remains. As the length grows, this sharp piece moves forward and grows into the roller. The bending of the lateral part of the plate changes, and the situation is fixed.
    Tight shoes.
    Excess weight and, as a result, a large load on the foot.
    Trauma.
    Flat feet and valgus.
    Psoriasis.
    Small vessel sclerosis causes tissue malnutrition. Metabolic disorders, diabetes, fungal diseases and many other diseases can cause a similar problem. Sometimes it is difficult to determine why the nail on the big toe grows in. There may be several reasons for this.
    Complications
    Untreated granulation leads to tissue compaction and changes in the structure of the nail plate. Its form is changing. An ingrown nail breaks, the toe swells badly. Chronic inflammation spreads to surrounding tissues, affecting the bone. At a certain point, the nail is rejected, and the process goes to the entire foot. This is fraught with gangrene, especially for diabetics. For these people, even the slightest violation of the skin is very dangerous, especially such a closed process as onychocryptosis. No less serious danger is this condition for patients with atherosclerosis. At the same time, the trophism of the limbs is disturbed, immunity and the regenerative ability of the body fall.
    There are several consequences of this situation, when toenails grow into fingers: Fungal infections of the wound surface and their progression.
    Abscess.
    Lymphadenitis – pain and inflammation of blood vessels and lymph nodes.
    Periostitis, otherwise inflammation of the periosteum.
    Osteomyelitis, in which the purulent process spreads to the bone.
    Gangrene. If the nail is ingrown, the toe is festering and sore, then you should immediately consult a doctor and get tested. You may need to do x-rays to rule out inflammation of the periosteum. For all its simplicity, onychocryptosis is a very dangerous disease.
    Problem solving
    The specialist will decide how to remove an ingrown toenail. It is best to contact a podiatrist who deals with the foot and all its diseases. Specialists in this area have a lot of ways to treat onychocryptosis, and removing the nail is an extreme measure.
    Often you just need to make an oblique cut from the side of the ingrown, prescribe bactericidal baths and medicated ointment to heal the wound. A napkin is placed under the cut, preventing further trauma to the side roller.
    If the doctor detects granulation, you will have to take tests. After receiving the results, it will become clear at what stage the disease is. Is it possible to get by with a cut of the ingrown part of the nail plate and the appointment of drugs, or will it be necessary to resort to excision of the surrounding tissues. Often, an incision is made through the entire nail plate with a segment cut out and the subsequent alignment of the two parts of the nail. When an ingrown toenail hurts, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed. After surgery, antihistamines are added.
    With timely treatment, the doctor often puts a brace on an abnormally growing nail, which prevents it from bending, after two months it is simply removed. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe laser treatment.
    Prevention of pathology
    After treatment, it is necessary to undergo a course of rehabilitation and learn how to prevent the problem from happening again. This includes sizing shoes, correcting lateral flat feet with special liners or insoles, avoiding high heels, and weight control. In many ways, non-compliance with these preventive measures is the reason why ingrown toenails. Unfortunately, after the first episode of onychocryptosis, relapses are very common.
    Correct nail length reduction is another important factor in prevention. It is necessary to perform a straight cut on all fingers, notice and remove overdried areas of hyperkeratosis in time, treat calluses and prevent the appearance of a fungal infection.
    With age, a whole bunch of disorders in the body’s activity appear. Correction of major diseases with medicines will not only improve the quality of life, but also protect against vascular disorders, due to which onychocryptosis may develop.
    Hallux valgus is often the cause of an ingrown toenail. This is the so-called bone. The problem is successfully solved by the surgeon, and after a while the patient can even wear model shoes. Gout is also one of the causes of a change in the position of the big toe. The accumulation of deposits in the joint occurs due to a violation of the general metabolism. Surgery and lifelong dieting will help get rid of the problem.
    How a pedicurist can help
    When an ingrown toenail hurts, do not try to solve the problem yourself. It is better to consult a podiatrist. If this is difficult, then to the pedicure master. By virtue of their profession, these specialists have rich experience and extensive practice. They can cure simple pathological conditions of the foot both quickly and with the help of therapeutic creams and baths. In the arsenal of the master there are special sterile instruments for removing ingrown nails, sterile napkins for placing under the corrected plate and curettes for installing the correcting bracket. The modern pedicure master is an educated specialist who combines foot care with nail decoration. Salon pedicure braces come in a variety of colors, reminiscent of gold, copper or chrome rings, creating a beautiful design in and of themselves. In addition, the master may decide to use modeling materials to restore part of the nail plate, mask the nail crack, and advise special creams and ointments for each specific case.
    Do-it-yourself pedicure dangers
    Although pedicure tools can be purchased from any professional store, cutting off an ingrown toenail yourself is very dangerous. Each master in practice had more than one case of such attempts on the part of his clients, after which the person turns to the nearest pedicure room for help. Indeed, there is a lot of information on the Internet on how to remove an ingrown toenail. But optimists do not take into account the knowledge that a specialist has. A simple change in skin color can tell him a lot. In addition, it is worth noting insufficient lighting for home pedicure, a different angle of view and holding tools.
    There are situations in which certain techniques cannot be used. This applies primarily to patients with diabetes. Such clients do only unedged pedicure in order to avoid gangrenous complications. It is clear that the master will also remove the ingrown nail using a hardware method. So intervening on your own can be very dangerous. Another complication when removing an ingrown part of the nail can be the addition of a fungal infection. Therefore, the specialist immediately uses an antifungal agent for prevention purposes. It is dripped onto the roller at the cut site, repeating this operation throughout the entire healing period. If this is not done, then it may be possible to correct the nail, but the sore formed due to trauma to the roller may be delayed with fungal spores. And then it will begin to grab the bed of the nail, get close to the matrix and spread imperceptibly until the nail suddenly falls off.
    Conservative treatment
    If you consult a specialist in time, he may limit himself to prescribing conservative treatment. It includes baths, lotions, ointments and dressings. If the abscess has not formed, disinfecting baths are prescribed three times a day for a quarter of an hour. The ingrown corner is cut off, and the baths continue to be done until completely cured.
    In case of development of an abscess, which provoked an ingrown toenail on the big toe, Vishnevsky’s ointment will perfectly draw out the pus and healing will proceed quickly. The infection will not spread. A warm compress is used to apply the product. A layer of ointment is applied to the bandage folded several times and fixed on the finger. From above, the bandage is insulated with plastic wrap.
    Alternative medicine
    Alternative medicine has medicines for all occasions. But they must be used with extreme caution. Usually use chamomile collection, which is brewed for taking baths. It is used before “wild meat” has yet appeared.
    Bath recipe: Boiling water – 2 liters.
    Chamomile flowers – 6 tablespoons. An infusion is prepared by keeping the grass flooded with water for an hour, filtered and, if necessary, heated. Take half an hour with full immersion of the foot. After the length of the nail is cut off and the finger is bandaged.
    A warming dressing with aloe leaf is used to draw out pus. A general tonic berry collection that improves immunity works well. Therapeutic dressings with burdock leaf relieve swelling, and a warming alcohol compress relieves inflammation. Unfortunately, many believe in conspiracies, prayers and other miracles. Being sure that they know how to remove an ingrown toenail, people waste time, and the disease progresses in the meantime. Such folk methods are not suitable.
    Toe surgery: ingrown toenail and its correction
    When neither conservative methods of treatment nor traditional medicine help, they turn to surgical treatment.