Buy Walking VideosBlack Toenail: Biggest Fear
My biggest fear happened a couple of weeks ago. I was so scared how my feet would look when my toenails finally fell off. I knew it would happen because both of them were hanging on by just a thread for so long. When I finally lost them, I was resigned to it.
If I squint, I can’t tell that I don’t have toenails on my two largest toes. A special thank you to the person who suggested that I just paint the nail bed. It has helped me so much to be able to look down and see what looks like a toenail there. My nails are only half grown back, but they look almost whole.
More importantly, I can run and walk again. I have been building up my mileage. I can do two miles a day and a long walk of four miles once a week. I’ll eventually get back up to where I was before, but for now, I’m working up to it slowly.
In the end, black toenail is painful for a couple of weeks, but it’s ugly for months. I think the worst part was worrying about how it would look. Now that I know that this is the worst it looks, I’m less scared of getting black toenail in the future.
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March 28th, 2007 at 7:40 am
I lost a toenail once. I stubbed it on a scooter and watched it fall off over the next week.I thought it was the coolest thing. The best part i that it was during the summer. I was proud of my toenailess big toe so I wore flipflops every chance I got. Be proud and tell the story of how you lost it…. How did you lose both of your big toenails?
March 28th, 2007 at 8:27 am
When my toenails go south on me (from backpacking — downhill is the killer), the doctor removes them. Is it a good idea to just wait until they fall off? Can’t they get infected?
March 28th, 2007 at 8:30 am
Mindy,
If you read those previous entries, I explain in full detail how I hurt myself. (I’m such a silly girl…)
Mike,
I was stupid and didn’t go to the doctor. Don’t be like me. I also was VAIN and didn’t want to lose my toenails, so I kept them on as long as I could, including wearing a bandaid over the left toe every day for a week so that the nail wouldn’t fall off.
Now that I see that it’s not so bad, I would probably acquiese to the nail removal. The worst was the pain after I first injured myself. I hobbled around for two or three days.
Laura
March 29th, 2007 at 1:51 am
Sorry I had not read your previous entries. But still you should be proud. Doing all that mileage, working your but off. That’s very respectable. Dont be embarrassed of your toenails if people ask you about them say “When was the last time you ran six miles?”
March 29th, 2007 at 2:04 am
I think I lost my thumb nail when I was really little
July 12th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Hey I had a question for laura, my toenails are both coming off (running injuries) so is it ok to paint whats left underneath? I’m just worried it’ll stop the nail from growing back…especially using nail polish remover etc…
July 12th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Jen,
My toenails are almost completely back to normal. I regularly painted the nail bed while they were growing back and it didn’t sting or impede the growing process. Of course, polish doesn’t stick to skin as well as toenails, so I had to redo my polish every day or two, but it really helped me through that time.
Best of luck, Laura Moncur
May 19th, 2011 at 9:56 pm
KEEP THEM as long as possible. I was about to cut mine down to leave a big open wound – this makes for an entry port for many organisms and susceptibility to more trauma if you bump them. Your toenails even if dead are good protection from further trauma and entry of germs. I’ve read many stories where the fresh new nail grows in under the ugly old one (men usually do this) and the old one comes off when it’s ready, no problems whatsoever. My b.f. is a doctor and he freaked at the idea of me doing self surgery to remove the dying nail. He’s also gone through the experience and he let’s nature take it’s course without digging away. Nice painting job!
July 29th, 2012 at 8:16 am
I’m only 8 and I was on google searching for images that look simaler to my toe that’s coming off,and saw this one my toe got like this when I was at the skating rink and fell REAlLY hard and when I took off my skates the toe next to my pinkie toe was part dark-brown a few months later I took a shower and my toe was pale like PALE PALE sparkly twighlight pale!! And I touched it and it looked like it was about to fall off. Thanks for telling me what to do though and tip: next time it happens try to keep your toe out of water ANY water it just makes it come off more.