Removing a dead toenail

Video: REMOVING A DEAD TOENAIL - more satisfying than removing an ingrown toenail!!

Content

To step
Part 1 of 3: Treating the blister
Part 2 of 3: Removing the toenail
Part 3 of 3: Providing aftercare
Warnings
Necessities

A dead toenail can cause a lot of discomfort and pain and may keep you from wearing sandals and showing your toes. A dead toenail can have various causes, including an injury to the toe (for example, because your toe keeps hitting the front of your running shoes) and a nail fungus. Even if your toenail is dead and has stopped growing, you can remove it and treat the underlying infection. Removing a nail can help prevent infection and help the nail heal after the injury. With the right treatment, your toe will grow back to normal within six to 12 months. To get complete certainty about the condition of your toenail, it is best to consult a doctor before attempting to remove the nail.

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Part 1 of 3: Treating the blister

Check for a blister. A toenail often dies when a blister (usually a blood blister) develops under the nail. The blister dies the skin beneath the nail, and once the skin has died, the nail loosens and rises.
- If your toenail has died for some other reason, such as a fungal infection, then there probably isn't a blister to puncture. Skip to Part 2 on toenail removal and follow the same process for toenail removal and aftercare. In case of a yeast infection, see your doctor. He or she can prescribe a suitable anti-fungal cream for you.
- Do not try to pop a blister under your nail if you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or if you have a weakened immune system. These conditions can cause long-term infections that are difficult to treat and wounds that do not heal properly, because your immune system is weakened and your blood circulation is not sufficient. In this case, ask your doctor for advice.
Clean the toe. Wash the toe and nail thoroughly with soap and water. Also wash your hands with soap and water. It is very important to make your toe and hands as sterile as possible before attempting to pierce the blister and remove your toenail. If there are bacteria, you may get an infection.
- Clean the toenail and the area around it with a cotton swab with iodine. Iodine has been shown to kill bacteria that cause infections.
Sterilize and heat the tip of a pin or straightened paper clip. Wipe a clean, sharp pin, needle, or the end of a paper clip with rubbing alcohol to sterilize the device. Heat the tip of the sharp object of your choice in a flame until it becomes visibly red hot.
- To prevent infection, this is best done under the supervision of a doctor. Anytime you attempt medical treatment at home, you run the risk of contracting an infection or making a painful or dangerous mistake. This also applies to the simplest treatments. Consider seeing your doctor to have your toenail removed instead of doing it yourself.
- Note that you can use a blunt metal paperclip instead of a pin if you don't like piercing the blister with a sharp tip. If you've never tried piercing a blister, it may be safer to use a paper clip. However, make sure you have a sterilized pin handy as you may need it to pierce the blister.
- Only heat the tip of the pin. The rest of the pin will heat up, but only the tip of the pin should glow red. Be careful not to burn your fingers while sterilizing the pin.
Melt a hole in your nail with the tip of the pin. Hold the heated tip of the pin over the nail, just above the blister. Hold it still and let the heat melt a hole in the nail.
- If you can get to the blister by sticking the pin under your nail, you don't need to melt a hole in your nail. You can then just puncture the blister and let the moisture run out using the tip of the hot pin.
- Since a nail has no nerves, it shouldn't hurt to melt a hole in it with a hot pin. However, don't apply pressure when you make the hole so you don't run the risk of burning the skin underneath.
- Depending on how thick the nail is, you may have to heat the pin several times and keep melting the same spot on your nail.
Pierce the blister. After making a hole in your nail, use the tip of the pin to pierce the blister. Let the moisture run out.
- To minimize pain and discomfort, it is a good idea to allow the pin to cool slightly to a tolerable temperature before using it to pierce the blister.
- If possible, try to pierce the blister near the outer rim. Leave the skin over the blister alone as much as possible. Never pick with your hands on your skin as you will definitely get an infection.
Take care of the wound. Immediately after piercing the blister, soak your toe in warm water with a little soap for about 10 minutes. Then soak your toe in soapy water for 10 minutes three times a day until the blister is completely healed. After soaking, apply an antibiotic or anti-blister ointment to the area and bandage your toe with clean gauze and a bandage. This will help prevent infection.
- Depending on the size and severity of the blister, you may have to puncture the blister several times until all of the fluid is gone. Try to drain all the moisture from the blister through the same hole, the hole you made in your nail earlier.

Part 2 of 3: Removing the toenail

Wash your toe. Before attempting to remove all or part of your toenail, clean your toe with warm, soapy water. Dry the toe well before continuing. Cleaning your foot, toe, and nail before removing your nail will help prevent infection. Wash your hands in addition to your foot to reduce the chance of bacteria getting onto your toe.
Cut off as much of the top part of the nail as possible. Trim the part of your nail that rests on dead skin. As a result, dirt particles and bacteria will be less likely to get stuck under the dead nail. Removing the nail will also help the skin under the nail to heal faster.
- To reduce the risk of infection, it is a good idea to sterilize the nail clippers with rubbing alcohol before use. It is also better to use a sharp nail clipper than a blunt one. Blunt nail clippers can tear your nail when you try to cut it.
Test your nail before cutting it. If the nail is already dying, you should be able to pull part of it away from your skin without any effort. The part that you can pry free without pain is the part that you cut off.
Connect the toe. After cutting the top part of your nail, wrap a non-stick bandage around your toe and secure with adhesive bandages. The skin that emerges is likely to be raw and sensitive, and bandaging your toe will reduce discomfort. You can also apply antibiotic ointment to your skin to aid in the healing process and reduce the risk of infection.
Wait before removing the rest of the nail. Every situation is unique, but generally it is best to wait a few days before removing the rest of your nail. It is best to wait two to five days. The nail will slowly die and after a few days it will hurt a lot less to remove it.
- While you wait for the bottom part of your nail to die off so that you can remove it, it is important to keep your nail and the area around it as clean as possible. This means gently washing your nail and skin with soap and water, using antibiotic ointment, and loosely bandaging your toe with gauze bandages.
Pull away the rest of the nail. When the rest of the nail has died, grab the last piece and pull it off your skin from left to right in a smooth motion. When you start to pull your nail you will notice if your nail can be removed. If it hurts, stop pulling.
- You may start to bleed a little if your nail in the corner is still attached to your cuticle. However, this shouldn't hurt much.

Part 3 of 3: Providing aftercare

Keep the affected area clean and bandaged. When you remove the rest of the nail and reveal the bare skin, it is important to clean the toe with warm water and a little mild soap. In addition, try applying a little antibiotic ointment and loosely bandaging the toe. Remember, this is a wound that you must treat gently until a new layer of skin has grown.
Give your skin time to breathe. It's important to keep your toe clean and protected, but it's also good to expose raw skin to the air so it can heal. A good time to take the bandage off and expose your toe to the air is when you watch TV with your feet up. However, if you are going to walk the city streets or a park, it is better to keep the bandage on your toe, especially if you are wearing open-toe shoes.
- Change the dressing every time you clean the wound. Also, apply a new bandage if the old bandage gets dirty or wet.
Treat the emerged skin. Apply an antibiotic ointment or cream to the wound at least once a day to help prevent infection. Continue this until a new layer of skin has grown over it. In most cases, an over-the-counter cream is sufficient, but you may need to use a prescription ointment if you do develop an infection.
Rest your feet. Rest your feet as much as possible for the first few days after removing the nail. The spot will likely hurt quite a bit during that time. When the pain and swelling subside, you can gradually return to your normal routine, including exercise. However, don't force yourself to do something that hurts.
- If possible, put your foot up when you are sitting or lying down. Put something under it so that it is higher than your heart. This can help soothe swelling and pain.
- While the nail is growing, do not wear narrow and tight shoes that can damage the nail. Wear closed shoes as much as possible to further protect the nail bed during the healing process, especially when you are physically active outside.
Know when to contact your doctor. A symptom such as severe pain can be a sign of an infection. Other common signs of an infection include swelling, a warm feeling in the toe, fluid or pus flowing from the toe, red streaks pointing out from the wound, and fever. Do not wait for the infection to become serious. If you think something is wrong, contact your doctor immediately.

Warnings

Do not try to remove a toenail that has not yet died. If you want to remove a nail for other reasons, see your doctor and see if it is possible to have the nail removed surgically or otherwise by a medical professional.
Do not attempt to pierce the blister or remove your toenail if you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or a condition that weakens your immune system.