What makes your big toenail fall off?

The two most common reasons for a toenail falling off are injuries and fungal infections. We'll start with injuries. Sometimes the precipitating cause is obvious—say you dropped a heavy book on your toe, or stubbed it on a sturdy table leg. However, more often small impacts over time are the principal problem.

Should I be worried if my toenail falls off?

While a toenail falling off is usually not a major medical concern, it can be painful and annoying. In some cases, a damaged or detaching toenail may become infected, or it may be a sign of a more serious medical condition. A person can take steps at home to help ensure that the nail bed is kept clean and protected.

What serious illness makes your toenails fall off?

What serious illness causes toenails to fall off? Two illnesses that could cause toenails to fall off include diabetes and psoriasis. Having diabetes increases your chances of getting a fungal infection called onychomycosis, which usually affects the toenails.

Why would a toenail fall off for no reason?

Toenail fungus, a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes, is the most common reason that a toenail will fall off. Dermatophytes feed on the keratin found in the skin and nails and thrive in warm, moist environments.

What happens if your big toenail falls off?

Once the nail falls off, you will need to protect the nail bed from infection. Toenails can take several months to a year to regrow. Some treatment and prevention tips for toenails that have fallen off or are in the process of falling off include: Use pain medication as needed.

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What to do after big toenail falls off?

Protect any exposed part of the nail bed for 7 to 10 days until this skin hardens and isn't sensitive anymore. Coat the area with antibiotic ointment and top with a nonstick bandage. Change the bandage every day and whenever it gets wet. (If any part gets stuck, soak it under warm running water until it slips off.)

Why is my toenail lifting off my toe?

Onycholysis is when your nail separates from its nail bed. It often appears after an injury to your nail, but it may have other causes, including fungi. Treatment may only involve cutting away the separated nail as it grows out, or you may need to take antifungal medications or stop using certain nail products.

Does diabetes make your nails fall off?

Like other tissues, the nail needs a viable blood supply. Even in early vascular disease, reduced circulation to the nail matrix can cause thin, brittle nails that break and split and then separate from the nail bed (onycholysis).

What does onycholysis look like?

With a condition known as onycholysis, the fingernails become loose and can separate from the nail bed. The separated part of the nail becomes opaque with a white, yellow or green tinge. Sometimes detached nails are associated with injury or infection.

What medications can make your toenails fall off?

Various anti-infective drugs, including tetracyclines, quinolones, clofazimine and zidovudine, cause the nail plate to detach from the nail bed after exposure to light, or cause nail discoloration. Psoralens and retinoids can also have the same effects.

Can toenails indicate a health problem?

Your toenails tell a lot about your overall health. A fungal infection often causes thickened yellow toenails. Thick, yellow nails also can be a sign of an underlying disease, including lymphedema (swelling related to the lymphatic system), lung problems, psoriasis, or rheumatoid arthritis.

Can toenails show signs of illness?

The condition of your toenails is something everyone needs to pay more attention to. Bacterial and fungal infections can cause color, texture, and odor changes to toenails. If you notice light or dark stripes, it may be a sign of nutritional problems or systemic health issues like diabetes or peripheral artery disease.

What is toenail poisoning?

An infection in the skin around the toenail is called paronychia. It's normally caused by a bacterium. The toenail can also be infected with a fungus. If your toe is infected, one of these things might be to blame: You cut the nail too short, or you cut the cuticle around the nail.

What do COVID nails look like?

What Do COVID Nails Look Like? Beau's lines are grooves that run horizontally across your nail plate, per an August 2021 paper published in the journal Skin Appendage Disorders. COVID nails/Beau's lines can look like ridges, grooves, or indentations, according to Dr. Day.

Why is my toenail separating from nail bed?

Onycholysis is a condition in which the nail separates from the skin it. It may be caued by a nail injury, fungus, or psoriasis. The condition does not go away, and a person must wait until a new nail grows. Onycholysis is the medical term for when your nail separates from the skin underneath it.

What does a lifting toenail look like?

The appearance of nail lifting may resemble a half-moon, or the free edge of the nail may rise up like a hood. Nail lifting creates space under the nail that gathers dirt and debris made of protein in the nails (keratin).

What does a diabetic toenail look like?

What to Look For in Diabetic Toenails. The first toenail change you'll notice in diabetic patients is likely to be discoloration. Most have some yellowing of the nails, though the shade and involvement can vary. Discoloring may start at the distal edge (tip), and run all the way to the root of the nail bed.

What do diabetes toenails look like?

In some people with diabetes, the nails take on a yellowish hue. Often this coloring has to do with the breakdown of sugar and its effect on the collagen in nails. This kind of yellowing isn't harmful. It doesn't need to be treated.

What are the first signs of diabetes in feet?

Tingling, burning, or pain in your feet. Loss of sense of touch or ability to feel heat or cold very well. A change in the shape of your feet over time. Loss of hair on your toes, feet, and lower legs.

Should I remove a lifted toenail?

A: A new toenail will grow after the toenail is lifted off the nail bed and will eventually push the old toenail outward. It is best to remove the old toenail if it is loose.

Will my big toenail ever grow back?

As long as the nail-growing cells are healthy and your body is producing everything it needs to grow the nail, then it'll grow back and very likely have a normal appearance.

Will a big toe nail grow back if removed?

After your nail has been removed, it will take a few weeks for the nail to start to grow back. It will take about 3 to 6 months for a fingernail to fully grow back. A toenail will take about 6 to 12 months. Your nail will often, but not always, grow back normally.

How long will it take for a big toe nail to grow back?

Both toenails and fingernails grow slowly, with toenails taking longer to regrow. On average, it can take up to 18 months for a toenail to completely regrow, and about 4 to 6 months for a fingernail to grow back. The reason fingernails grow faster isn't fully understood.

Can fungus make your toenail fall off?

Fungi can grow between your nail bed and toenail, eventually making your toenail fall off. Symptoms of a fungal toenail infection include: noticeably thicker toenails. white or yellowish-brown discoloration on your toenails.

What does fungal toenail look like?

It begins as a white or yellow-brown spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. Nail fungus can affect several nails.