Nail Growth: The Time It Takes For A Finger To Fall Off

Fingernails usually regrow completely in about two months, but it can take 4 to 6 months for a new nail to grow to replace the lost nail.

How blood under the nail bed can cause a nail to fall off

Large subungual hematomas (blood under the nail bed) increase the risk of your fingernail falling off. Doctors will often drain the accumulated blood by drilling a small hole in the nail plate. Blood that encompasses more than 50 percent of your nail is a good sign you should hit up a doctor. The key is to get it done within 24 hours, before the blood coagulates. 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. Apply ice (inside a cloth) 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.

How a nail matrix injury can cause a nail to fall off

A nail matrix injury is the tissue at the base of your nail where nail growth happens. 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.

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.

Recovery time varies for onycholysis as it is largely dependent on nail growth, which is typically quite slow. It is not uncommon for fingernails to take about 4 to 6 months to grow to a full size. Toenails may take twice as long. ... With onycholysis, the detached portion of the nail will not reattach. Instead, treatment will focus on new nail growth and keeping the nail attached to the underlying nail bed. The first step in treating onycholysis is to determine what is causing the nail to lift from the nail and treating the underlying cause.

General measures a person can perform at home to support nail health can include: clipping the affected portion of the nail and keeping the nail short with regular trimming · avoiding or minimizing activities that can result in nail injury · avoiding possible irritants, such as nail products.

How a nail can fall off due to onycholysis

Onycholysis is a condition where the nail separates from the nail bed. This can happen due to injury to the nail matrix, which is the tissue at the base of the nail where nail growth happens. Recovery time for onycholysis is largely dependent on nail growth, which is typically quite slow. It is not uncommon for fingernails to take about 4 to 6 months to grow to a full size. Toenails may take twice as long.

The detached portion of the nail will not reattach. Instead, treatment will focus on new nail growth and keeping the nail attached to the underlying nail bed. The first step in treating onycholysis is to determine what is causing the nail to lift from the nail and treating the underlying cause. General measures a person can perform at home to support nail health can include: clipping the affected portion of the nail and keeping the nail short with regular trimming, avoiding or minimizing activities that can result in nail injury, avoiding possible irritants, such as nail products.

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.

After an acute trauma, your nail may turn black and seem like it's barely hanging on. Please, please, don’t pull it off. You can cut it down, but let the injury grow out on its own. “Leave it alone, because there is new nail growing underneath,” says Dr. Lain. “The new nail will push up the old nail, and it will come off when it’s ready.”

Once the fingernail falls off, it’s a good idea to protect the sensitive skin of the nail bed with a Band-Aid. 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.

How a nail can fall off due to acute trauma

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.

If you have a large subungual hematoma (a lot of blood under your nail bed), doctors will often drain the accumulated blood by drilling a small hole in the nail plate. In Dr. Lain’s clinical experience, blood that encompasses more than 50 percent of your nail is a good sign you should hit up a doctor, but there are no official recommendations. You can play it safe and have a smaller subungual hematoma drained too. The key is to get it done within 24 hours, before the blood coagulates.

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.

After an acute trauma, your nail may turn black and seem like it's barely hanging on. Please, please, don’t pull it off. You can cut it down, but let the injury grow out on its own. “Leave it alone, because there is new nail growing underneath,” says Dr. Lain. “The new nail will push up the old nail, and it will come off when it’s ready.”

Once the fingernail falls off, it’s a good idea to protect the sensitive skin of the nail bed with a Band-Aid.

How a nail can be replaced with a special material

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.

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.

Recovery time varies for onycholysis as it is largely dependent on nail growth, which is typically quite slow. It is not uncommon for fingernails to take about 4 to 6 months to grow to a full size. Toenails may take twice as long.

With onycholysis, the detached portion of the nail will not reattach. Instead, treatment will focus on new nail growth and keeping the nail attached to the underlying nail bed. The first step in treating onycholysis is to determine what is causing the nail to lift from the nail and treating the underlying cause. General measures a person can perform at home to support nail health can include: clipping the affected portion of the nail and keeping the nail short with regular trimming · avoiding or minimizing activities that can result in nail injury · avoiding possible irritants, such as nail products.

Frequently asked questions