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My nail bent back

(32 Posts)
MissAdventure Sun 14-Jun-26 15:57:12

And I'm not sure what to do with it.
I've always bitten my nails until around seven or so years ago, when i stopped, and they've grown ridiculously long and strong since.

Yesterday, I scratched my back, and my thumbnail folded right back on itself and I had to flip it into place.

Now I'm not sure what to do with it, as it has a tiny split, way down, and blood beneath the nail.

It's too far down the nail for me to cut where the split is, so I've just put a plaster round my finger.

Any suggestions, please?

Jaberwok Sun 14-Jun-26 16:00:19

Just wait for it to grow out!

crazyH Sun 14-Jun-26 16:01:43

I think it will grow out

MissAdventure Sun 14-Jun-26 16:02:26

Oh!" Is that it? blush
I've honestly never had to deal with this before.
Doesn't it hurt!
Thank you.

Aveline Sun 14-Jun-26 16:06:05

Ooh sore. I wish I could say something comforting or what would fix it. Maybe cut all your nails short so it doesn't happen to any of the others?

62Granny Sun 14-Jun-26 16:06:52

You can try giving it a coat or two of clear nail polish just to hold it together as it has weakened and stopping it catching again until it grows out.
Big hug as I am sure it was painful.

HappyBumbleBee Sun 14-Jun-26 16:08:09

Cut it as short as possible as it will be weakened so cutting it short will help not catching it again. If you have a clear top coat you can put that on but really just let it grow out. It should be fine and heal itself 👍

MissAdventure Sun 14-Jun-26 16:09:09

Yes, they probably all need some tlc.
I don't think I'll be able to cut them myself as I've got a plaster around my blooming thumb now.

MissAdventure Sun 14-Jun-26 16:10:53

I've not got a single nail varnish to my name! blush
I must get one or two.

PiscesLady Sun 14-Jun-26 16:21:11

I keep a nail repair kit in the house. It's basically fine silk fabric with an adhesive side which you then glue in place with super glue. DH uses it all the time.
Without the silk you could try trimming the nail and using just a coat or two of super glue or nail varnish. Good luck
thanks

MissAdventure Sun 14-Jun-26 16:30:40

Thank you.
I feel a blooming fool now.
I'm sure I've read something about using a teabag to do a repair job, too, now I think of it.
I might have to look on amazon for a repair kit.
Thank you all. smile

hamster58 Tue 16-Jun-26 13:51:16

I split a nail when I shut my finger in a car door. It was a little finger nail and I knew glue wouldn’t keep it safe so bought an inexpensive set of neutral false nails and stuck that on. Totally safe until it grew out and I filed the false one down as time passed.

CW52 Tue 16-Jun-26 15:07:04

Keep a plaster on until it grows a bit and trim the nail short. It’s incredibly painful isn’t it!!!

Romola Tue 16-Jun-26 15:30:38

Eeek! I had to stop reading your post first time round, the thought of it made me squeak in sympathy.
A plaster round the finger, that's what I would do. TLC for your hands generally.

ufix1 Tue 16-Jun-26 15:51:15

I would trim it then patch it up with some superglue which will help to strengthen it until it grows. In fact I would trim them all- a of bit clackety, clack not very good and think of the bacteria behind!

DeeAitch56 Tue 16-Jun-26 15:54:16

I’ve got very brittle nail which seem to like to split at will for no obvious reason, the best thing for me is to cut the nail down to the top of my finger and put some micropore tape over the remaining nail only and not on the ball of my finger, as I find Elastoplast gets soggy and starts to unpeel, and needs changing every time I wash my hands

JenniferEccles Tue 16-Jun-26 16:11:25

Ouch! I would ask advice from a pharmacist who could hopefully suggest something to put on to protect it during the months it will take to grow out.
As you said there is a split along the nail with blood visible, I don’t think I would put clear nail varnish on it.

AmberGran Tue 16-Jun-26 16:37:10

My nails don't break often but when they do it's always right where the nail is attached to the tip of the finger. Always agonizingly painful so you have my sympathy.

I wouldn't use superglue at that part of the nail if it's attached to the finger - could cause more problems. I wrap mine in plaster (the fabric ones) and cut off as much of the tip as I can then leave it to grow out.

What you don't want is to catch any bits of nail and tear it further. I bought one of those finger sheath things that ties around the wrist for when I am doing things, just to stop bashing on things.

MissAdventure Tue 16-Jun-26 17:18:02

Oh thank you all.
I've still got the same bit of micropore round my thumb, which now looks revoltingly grotty. blush
I need to take it off and survey my "injury", but its absolutely stuck fast! (unusually for micropore)

Plus, i can still feel that its suspiciously bendy underneath the tape.

JAN1954 Tue 16-Jun-26 17:21:00

That sounds a great idea. Where did you purchase the nail kit with silk material? I've never seen these in the shops.

AskAlice Tue 16-Jun-26 17:39:17

Ouch, that sounds really painful! I've done similar a few times in the past (not scratching my back, though) and trimmed the nail down as far as possible without hurting myself further. I then wrapped it in micropore and cut the finger off a rubber glove and slipped that over it during the day to keep it clean. I took the rubber finger off at night to let the finger "breathe" - it worked! You have to use a finger of rubber glove that is quite tight though to keep it on...

sundowngirl Tue 16-Jun-26 17:41:41

JAN1954

That sounds a great idea. Where did you purchase the nail kit with silk material? I've never seen these in the shops.

I got the silk and nail glue, separately, from Amazon

win Tue 16-Jun-26 18:49:25

hamster58

I split a nail when I shut my finger in a car door. It was a little finger nail and I knew glue wouldn’t keep it safe so bought an inexpensive set of neutral false nails and stuck that on. Totally safe until it grew out and I filed the false one down as time passed.

Yes I was going to suggest similar, but you could go to a salon and have one nail repaired, I have done that many a time. I do have my nails done regularly, so they know me, But I think any good nail bar would fix it for you. It is painful when they bend back in itself let alone the cut below the (whatever they call the base line). Not nice. Hope your nails grow quickly.

Plevey08 Tue 16-Jun-26 20:06:54

I'd show the pharmacist and see what they think.

MissAdventure Tue 16-Jun-26 23:59:50

I very gingerly took off the micropore this evening, and it seems the nail has grown enough already to have cut the it (pulled it off!)

The rest of me is falling apart, but my nails seem to be superhuman. Its less painful now, without all the tape around it, too.

Lesson learned - tlc for my nails, and use a back scrstcher in future.

Thank you all. smile