Torn Nail

[Digeroo]

While I was gardening I tore my thumb nail it has gone half way down the nail and is causing problems because I keep catching it on things which is very painful, and I am worried about getting dirt into it and causing an infection.

I have bought some false nails.  Do you think this will help?  I have never used them so totally naive.

I can't work out how to get them off once they are stuck on.  What happens if you get dirt behind them?   I need something to keep the situation from getting worse while the nail grows out.  My nails grow very slowly so this is going to take some time.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. 

[Digeroo]

[goodlife]

Ouch...painful...false nail may well help..but I doubt it...
depending of the fixing method the home ones are not going to last...
and since you'll be attaching it on the broken nail..even less solid.
In your situation I would go to proper nail studio where they not only glue the false one on they also attach harderned layer on which will be even tougher...these nails grow out with your own nail.
..if you decide going this route you have to keep the false one short so there is less chance getting it ripped too.
Anyway..to get one nail done is not going to be much more than your home kit...and if properly trained nailperson they know what is bes...go on,,go and ask what they say... ;)

[Digeroo]

Thanks for your advice.  Sound like a good idea.  My nails are always short so that is not a problem.  They are not hard like most peoples nails so I can never have them more than very short.  My OH can use his as a screw driver, but mine are more like strength of the plastic of a fizzy drinks bottle.

[nilly71]

Keep the top filed down to encourage growth, If you have any clear nail varnish apply a few coats or your local nail salon could apply fibreglass. Don't get false nails with such weak nails as they need to file them to glue them, also your nail needs to breath while it mends.

I think an old gardening trick to keep the underneath dirt free is to scratch a bar of soap, the soap stops the dirt and can be easly cleaned out when you have finished getting dirty.

Neil

[elvis2003]

dont put a false nail on yourself,i did once and the glue got into a cut and i lost the whole nail,took years to re grow. i doubt whether a salon will do anything ya know,as the nail is broken,but maybe they will

[PurpleHeather]

The answer is simple. Gloves.

There are all sorts from the surgeon type to the industrial type.

I would never do anything on the allotment without having some available.

Soak your sad injury in water with salt dissolved in.
Wash it and make sure that until it is regrown you wear gloves.

The only risk is infection.

I never like to use plasters because I prefer to allow natural healing but if in doubt get advice from your professional health care provider.

Boots the Chemists are pretty good.
 

[Digeroo]

Many thanks for your advice.  I am currently protecting it with plasters mostly because they are cheap and also I can replace it often.  Think I might continue.  I think I will have to wear gloves but I do hate them.  I have been doing quite a lot of digging and my hands are rather rough.

As for filing this is impossible as it is like filing a piece of parmesan cheese.  I like the thought of putting something else down the nails but I am allergic to block soap and always use liquid type hand cleaners.  As a child I always had infected cuticles and itchy nails.  The first time it stopped was when I was in hospital with my first baby and we were asked to use hibiscrub in intensive care unit - result: end of cuticle infections.

[tomatoada]

When this happened to me I put a plaster on so that the sticky part did not touch the nail.  I then put micropor round the plaster to make sure the plaster stayed in place.  Over that I put the cut off finger of a plastic glove. Also kept in place with micropor, and wore gloves.  This kept the nail etc clean and preventing snagging and  enabled me to carry on working with soil etc. 
Each night I removed the lot, and put on just a plaster to stop the nail catching on clothes.
Are you OK for tetanus.    Hope this helps.