Posted on Apr 20, 2019
What is the most gentle way to remove a dead toenail?
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My new combat boots pressed weirdly on my big toenail last week, and as a result, 85% of it formed a blood blister underneath it. I'm going to lose the toenail and will have to spend the next 18 months regrowing it. The pressure from the blood blister is annoying and I'd rather just remove the whole thing and start the healing process. Half of it is lifted up already, but there is a sliver that isn't dead yet. Can anyone recommend a gentle way to remove it?
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In the future, when you get a blood blister under the nail, you can save it by drilling into the nail to release the blood. You can use a 14 gage needle and use your fingers to spin it like a drill with light pressure. It takes a while but it works. If you can take a few seconds of pain, the medics can use a cauterizing pen to burn/melt a hole straight through in a few seconds.
Now that you're too late to save it, the best way to manage it is to trim back as much of the nail as you can that's elevated off the toe. If there's still a lot of discomfort from it, you can tape the toe nail down to stabilize it during the day while you're walking around.
There's no gentle way to remove the portions that are connected to the intact nail bed, and if you do, the pain will be worse and you'll open up the nail bed to bacterial and fungal infection. With the limited blood flow that toes receive, that kind of infection can be hard to fight, even with antibiotics, and you could lose the toe, a portion of the toe, or just permanently damage the nail bed.
Now that you're too late to save it, the best way to manage it is to trim back as much of the nail as you can that's elevated off the toe. If there's still a lot of discomfort from it, you can tape the toe nail down to stabilize it during the day while you're walking around.
There's no gentle way to remove the portions that are connected to the intact nail bed, and if you do, the pain will be worse and you'll open up the nail bed to bacterial and fungal infection. With the limited blood flow that toes receive, that kind of infection can be hard to fight, even with antibiotics, and you could lose the toe, a portion of the toe, or just permanently damage the nail bed.
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SGT (Join to see)
1LT(P) (Join to see) someone has to state the obvious....show it. If we can get a look at it, the larger group will be able to give more accurate advice.
For now, a hole in the nail to alleviate pressure should make it a bit more comfortable. Above and beyond that, depends on the severity of the damage.
Best of luck
For now, a hole in the nail to alleviate pressure should make it a bit more comfortable. Above and beyond that, depends on the severity of the damage.
Best of luck
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SFC (Join to see)
1LT(P) (Join to see) well, as a medic, I've done it a few times lol.
Drilling with a 14g is actually painless. It's just tedious, takes forever, and is scary as hell. You just grab the catheter from your IFAK that's used for needle decompression, rest the pointy end on your toe and let gravity do the work while you spin the needle betwixt your fingers. I've done it on myself and it feels like heaven opened up once the blood flowed out.
Kind of like a first visit to a chiropractor; scary as hell, but feels incredible once over.
Drilling with a 14g is actually painless. It's just tedious, takes forever, and is scary as hell. You just grab the catheter from your IFAK that's used for needle decompression, rest the pointy end on your toe and let gravity do the work while you spin the needle betwixt your fingers. I've done it on myself and it feels like heaven opened up once the blood flowed out.
Kind of like a first visit to a chiropractor; scary as hell, but feels incredible once over.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I actually had the top of the toenail drilled into by a Doctor when i was running 5 to 10 miles a day at one point, Once the hole was drilled the puss etc that was under the toenail had so much pressure it shot straight up and hit the ceiling and felt better right away. I wouldn't do that myself though, go to a medical facility or Doctor before it gets too infected its worth it. I've never had a problem after that and continued running,
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SFC (Join to see)
Ermergawd.... It's so gross lol
It's not bad, your toenail hasn't even turned black yet.
Trim what you can with clippers. Tape the rest down till it dies away. Try not to make it bleed. Bleeding is good on the rest of the body because it means circulation and antibodies. So, keep your open wounds covered when they're below your knees.
It's not bad, your toenail hasn't even turned black yet.
Trim what you can with clippers. Tape the rest down till it dies away. Try not to make it bleed. Bleeding is good on the rest of the body because it means circulation and antibodies. So, keep your open wounds covered when they're below your knees.
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