Nail Injury Treatment Questions and Answers

Treatment for a broken nail bed depends on the particular way that the nail bed has broken. The most common types of nail bed injuries are avulsions, lacerations, and subungual hematomas.

With an avulsion, the nail and at least a portion of the nail bed breaks off from the rest of the nail bed, which usually occurs when the nail is crushed or sustains a high impact injury. Nail bed avulsions are typically treated by removing the nail, while finger splints are often used in the case that the finger is fractured. The nail should grow back within three to six months.

For nail bed lacerations, stitches may be required, with a possible nail removal.

For the treatment of subungual hematomas, which occur when small blood vessels beneath the nail bed leak due to being crushed or impacted, causing blood to pool between the nail bed and outer nail. Subungual hematomas are treated by draining the blood with a needle through a small hole in the nail, relieving pain and pressure. If the hematoma covers more than half of the nail, stitches may be necessary, which would require nail removal.

With the proper treatment and care, a torn nail can eventually repair itself. However, if it is detached from the nail bed, you will have to wait for a new nail to grow back. If you have sustained a torn nail, we recommend that you seek medical advice before trying at-home treatments. If you wish, you can call us at Reddy Urgent Care or come to see us for a walk-in appointment. Our top-rated doctors can provide you with the advice, care, and treatment your torn nail requires to heal correctly.

While it may take some time and feel comparable to watching a sloth move across a road (much less cute, though!), your split nail will eventually heal as the nail grows out! In order to ensure that it heals in the shortest amount of time possible, it is a good idea to seek medical advice on how to care for your split nail properly. We can provide that for you at Reddy Urgent Care! Call us or come for a walk-in appointment to see one of our board-certified physicians.

If the split nail has separated from the nail bed, the nail may have to be removed to allow for proper healing. In that case, treatment will likely involve some type of bandage to protect the nail as it grows back. However, if the split nail is still attached to the nail bed, it will heal on its own but may require some protective measures to prevent further damage.

For excellent nail injury treatment in Long Beach, CA, make your way to Reddy Urgent Care! You can find us at 4237 Atlantic Ave and can come for a walk-in appointment during the hours of 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM from Monday to Friday or from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekends.