# Toddler lost his fingernail



## eleanorm (Aug 2, 2005)

Can anyone tell me how long we may expect to wait before the nail grows back? It fell off about 9 days ago and where the nail bed doesn't look very damaged (and he really seems to have no pain/discomfort), there is no sign of a new nail growing in yet.

The worst part of it is that it was my fault - he was kneeling behind the door reading something and I caught his nail under the door when I opened it


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## eleanorm (Aug 2, 2005)

Nobody has had a dc lose a finger/toe nail???


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## kaPOW! (Aug 15, 2006)

awe.

It's no biggie. It'll grow back. I've lost a few of them, some when I was a kid, and they're fine.


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## Science Mom (Feb 25, 2007)

eleanorm, It will take anywhere from about 4-6 months for the nail to fully grow back. You need to keep the nailbed very clean (I know this is next to impossible with a child). Open nailbeds are very susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. The beginning growth of the nail will take a few weeks and will probably be misshapen and grooved/discolored; it could take a couple of years for nail deformity to disappear although sometimes a minor deformity of the nail will be permanent. If there appears to be a hematoma (swelling and bruised appearance) you will need to have it drained and dressed by a physician. Good luck and accidents happen (I used to slam my fingers in the car door on a regular basis) your son will be fine.

SM


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## mamatowill (Aug 23, 2004)

I slammed the door on my son's fingers once. When the nail grew in there was a white line running across it. One day he broke the nail to the white line and it fell off- leaving half a nail. I was surprised at how quickly it grew back aobut 2-3 weeks. Of course he still had half the nail there which might have helped. It has just been over a week so I wouldn't be concerned.


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## ***Heather*** (Sep 28, 2006)

Last spring, I accidentally closed my own little pinky finger in a car door and then yanked it out without thinking. The nail didn't come off right away. There was a lot of swelling underneath. It looked kind of like a blister. Once the nail came off, it hurt a lot less but the skin felt a little sensitive for awhile. It took about 4 months total for my nail to grow in, 5 before a funny ridge grew out. It looks perfectly normal now.

Don't beat yourself up over it. Accidents happen.


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