How to Care for the Skin Once a Nail Falls Off
Repeated fungal infections of your nails or ingrown nails can require removal of the nail as a last resort of treatment. Also, crushing your nail can cause it to fall off, and some diseases, such as kidney, thyroid and liver disease, can cause you to lose a nail.
Repeated fungal infections of your nails or ingrown nails can require removal of the nail as a last resort of treatment. Also, crushing your nail can cause it to fall off, and some diseases, such as kidney, thyroid and liver disease, can cause you to lose a nail. Once a nail falls off or a doctor removes it, exposure of the nail bed increases your risk of infection. Take precautions to avoid infection while letting the nail grow back, which could take up to a year.
Step 1
Keep your foot or hand elevated for at least 24 hours after the nail comes off.
Step 2
Clean the area with a medicated antibacterial soap. Do not use a wrap or sponge. Gently clean it with your fingers and then carefully pour clean water over the area to rinse it.
Step 3
Apply topical antibiotic creams or antifungal creams to your skin. Loosely bandage the area to avoid putting pressure on the skin.
Step 4
Keep the bandage on the area until your doctor advises you to remove it. This reduces your risk of infection.
Step 5
Wear open-toed shoes. This keeps pressure off the area and enables a new nail to begin to grow.
Step 6
Take oral antibiotics and possibly pain medicines as directed by a doctor. The antibiotics help fight infection. Having a nail removed or come off and exposing the nail bed is painful, so over-the-counter or prescription pain medicine may help you manage the pain through the initial healing period.
Step 7
Avoid activities that could cause you to injure the nail bed or emergent new nail until the new nail has fully grown in.