SEPTEMBER 2019 YOSPUR BLOG 1

A nail bed injury is an injury to the nail and/or the surrounding tissues. It is very common for doctors to see patients with these types of injuries.

It can happen from any number of things. The most common causes are cutting or smashing.

However, maybe you have injured it at work, or dropped something on it. Or maybe your nail bed injury is due to another medical cause such as cancer, infection, or a growth such as a wart
or cyst.
[Related article: Five Common Types of Hand Injuries]
The important thing to know is that a nail bed injury can be treated. In the case of damaged nerves and tendons, it’s important to have it looked at. In some cases, an injury can lead to deformity of the finger.

There are some symptoms that might accompany a nail bed injury. For example, you may notice blood pooling under the nail bed or that your nail tears off or cracks. A hand surgeon such as Dr. Yospur should take a look to help determine the best form of treatment.

Repairs For Nail Bed Injury

A hand surgeon will know the best form of treatment for your nail bed injury and will be able to offer you options for healing. A nail bed injury can be repaired in many different ways, depending on what type of injury you have.

A hand surgeon can clean the injury and repair it. Repair may include replacing the nail within the nail fold. Grafting a nail from another finger or toe, or using a synthetic nail to help cover the damage while your body does its own healing.

If there is blood pooling under your nail, it can be drained. If there is a lot of blood under the nail (pooling underneath more than 50% of the nail) that may indicate a laceration. If so, the nail may need to be removed so that you can have stitches underneath.

If the nail bed is cut and stitches are required, the nail will also have to be removed in this instance. Or, if the nail pulled away, it may have to be removed in order for proper healing to take place.

Don’t worry, however — the nail should grow back. If it does have to be removed, you will see the beginning of growth at one week, and full growth at 3-6 months. In the meantime, your finger might also be splinted to help protect your nail bed while it heals.

If your nail bed injury is accompanied by broken bones, you may need a splint. When the initial pain has gone away, start gently flexing your finger to prevent further issues. Be sure to watch for signs of infection (red, swelling, pain, discharge) and report those to your doctor if they occur.

Now that you know more about nail bed injury and repair…
…if you have injured your nail bed, contact Dr. Yospur to schedule a consultation. With a fellowship in surgery of the hand, he can help repair any nail bed injury for you to see the best
possible outcome.

Contact us today.