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This article was co-written by Shari Forschen, NP, MA. Shari Forschen is a nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. She received her master’s degree in family nursing from the University of North Dakota and has been a nurse since 2003.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 58,430 times.
Dead toenails can cause a lot of inconvenience and pain, making you not want to wear sandals or show your toes. Dead toenails can have a variety of causes, among which include trauma (e.g., foot being repeatedly inserted into the front of a running shoe) and toenail fungus. [1] X Source of Research Even if the toenail has died and has stopped growing completely, you can still remove the toenail and treat the underlying infection. [2] X Research Source Removing the toenail prevents infection and helps the toenail heal after injury. [3] X Research Source With proper care, toenails return to normal in 6-12 months. [4] X Research Source To be sure of the condition of your toenails, you should see a healthcare professional for advice before removing the nail.
Steps
Blister care
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Notice the presence of blisters. Dead toenails usually form when blisters (blood blisters) develop under the nail. Blisters can cause the skin under the nail to die and the nail to fall off the toe. [5] X Research Sources
- If the toenail dies for other reasons, including a fungal infection, there usually won’t be a blister to drain the fluid. You can skip this step to continue reading “Toenail Removal” and proceed with the removal, post-removal care procedure. In case of a fungal infection, you need to see a doctor to be prescribed the right antifungal cream.
- Do not attempt to drain a blister under your nail if you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or a problem with your immune system. [6] X Sources of Research These problems can cause infections to take longer to treat and wounds to heal properly due to a weakened immune system and lack of blood circulation needed for healing heal. In that case, you must consult a doctor.
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Sanitize your toes. You need to wash your toenails and toes with soap and water. Wash both hands with soap and water. It is very important to disinfect toes and hands before doing blistering or removing toenails. The presence of bacteria increases the risk of infection.
- Consider wiping your toenails and surrounding skin with iodine. [7] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to a source of iodine that’s been shown to help kill infection-causing bacteria. [8] X Trusted Source Centers for Disease Contrp and Prevention Go to source
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Sterilize and heat the straightened staple or paper clip. Use Isopropyl alcohol to wipe and disinfect clean, sharp pins or paper clips. Heat the tip of a pin or paper clip over a flame until red hot. [9] X Research Source
- To best avoid infection, you should carry out disinfection under the supervision of a medical professional. Performing medical procedures at home, even the simplest, increases the risk of infection or a painful or dangerous mistake. Therefore, it is best to see a doctor to have your toenail removed instead of doing it yourself at home.
- Note that a blunt metal paper clip can be used instead of a pin if you’re uncomfortable piercing the blister with a pointed pin. If you’ve never tried draining fluid from a blister, you should use a paper clip just to be safe. Be sure to have disinfectant pins ready in case you need to pierce the blister.
- Heat only the tip of the pin. The rest of the pin should be warm and only the tip of the pin should be red hot. Be careful not to burn your hands while handling.
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Pierce the tip of the pin through the nail. Place the heated pin on the nail, just above the blister. Hold firmly and let the high heat melt a hole through the nail. [10] X Research Source
- If the blister can be accessed by inserting a pin under the nail tip, you won’t need to melt a hole through the nail. Then simply drain the fluid from the blister by inserting a hot pin through it.
- Because there are no nerves in the nail, inserting a hot pin through the nail will not cause pain. However, avoid pressing hard when inserting the pin through the nail so as not to burn the skin underneath. [11] X Research Source
- Depending on the thickness of the nail, you may need to reheat the tip several times and repeat the step through the nail at the same place on the nail.
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Through the blister. After making a hole in the nail, you can stab the blister with the tip of a pin and let the fluid drain out.
- To reduce discomfort or pain, you should allow the pin to cool to a temperature you can tolerate before inserting the pin through the blister.
- If possible, insert the pin around the outer edge of the blister. Try not to touch the skin underneath. Absolutely do not touch the skin under the nail to avoid infection.
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Wound care. Immediately after draining the blister, you should soak your toenail in warm, soapy water for about 10 minutes. Continue to soak your toenails in soapy water 3 times a day for 10 minutes each time, until the blister is completely healed. After soaking, you should apply antibiotic ointment or ointment to the blister and then wrap it with a clean gauze bandage. [12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source This step helps prevent infection.
- Depending on the size and severity of the blister, you may need to drain the fluid several times until it’s completely gone. Try to drain any remaining fluid in the blister from the same hole you made in the toenail last time.
Remove toenails
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Wash the skin around the toes. Before removing part or all of a toenail, you need to wash your toe with warm soapy water. Dry before moving on to the next step. Cleaning the feet, toes, and nails before removing the toenails will help prevent infection. In addition, you need to wash your hands to reduce the risk of spreading bacteria.
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Trim the top of the nail as much as possible. Trim the part of the nail that is on top of the dead skin to prevent dirt and bacteria from getting trapped under the dead toenail. [13] X Research Source Removing the nail also helps the skin under the nail to heal faster.
- To reduce the risk of infection, you need to disinfect your nail clippers with isopropyl alcohol before using. Using a sharp nail clipper is better than a blunt clipper because a blunt clipper can crack the nail during removal.
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Check nails before trimming. If the nail has already begun to die, you should be able to pull the dead nail out of the skin easily. The part of the nail that can be pulled from the skin without pain is the part you need to cut.
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Wrap toenails. After removing the top of the nail, use a non-stick gauze bandage to secure it around the nail. The newly exposed skin will be like raw meat and soft, so wrapping the toenail will help reduce discomfort. In addition, you should apply an antibacterial ointment to aid healing and reduce the risk of infection.
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Wait before removing the remaining nail. While each case is different, you will usually need to wait a few days (preferably 2-5 days) before removing the rest of the nail. [14] X Research Source Toenails will die off and are much less painful if you wait a few days before removing them.
- While you wait for the dead bottom to be removed, you need to keep the toenail as clean as possible. This means that you need to gently wash your nails with soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, and wrap the bandage loosely around it.
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Remove the remaining nail. When the rest of the nail is dead, you can hold and pull the nail out in a left-to-right motion. [15] X Research Source While pulling, you should feel the nail is ready to be pulled. Stop pulling the nail if it hurts.
- You may see bleeding if the nail is still attached to the corner of the cuticle, but the pain of the bleeding should not be as intense.
Care after removing dead toenails
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Keep it clean and bandage the toe. After completely removing the nail and exposing the raw flesh, you need to clean the toe with warm water and mild soap. Besides, you should apply antibacterial ointment and wrap a loose gauze bandage around the toe. [16] X Research Source Remember this is a wound, so you need to treat it gently until new skin develops.
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Give your skin time to “breathe”. Although it is important to keep your toes clean and protected. but you also need to expose the new skin to the air to give it time to heal. While lying on your feet watching TV, you can remove the bandage to expose the toenail to the air. However, when walking in the street, especially when wearing open-toed shoes, you must bandage your toes.
- Change the bandage every time you clean the wound. Also, you need to change the dressing every time it gets dirty or wet.
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Treatment of open skin. Apply antibiotic cream or ointment to the wound at least once daily to prevent infection and continue until new skin forms. An over-the-counter cream is sufficient in most cases, but you may need to use a cream prescribed by your doctor if you have an infection.
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Rest your feet. Rest your feet as much as possible in the first few days after nail removal, especially since the feet will be quite painful at this point. Once the leg pain and swelling subside, you can gradually return to your normal activities, including exercise. However, do not force yourself to do things that cause foot pain.
- If possible, elevate your legs while sitting or lying down. Elevating your legs above your heart helps reduce swelling and pain. [17] X Research Source
- While the nail grows back, you should avoid wearing tight or tight shoes that cause the nail to be pinched. [18] X Sources Closed-toed shoes should be worn to protect the nail bed during recovery, especially when participating in outdoor physical activities.
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Know when to see a doctor. Severe pain could be a sign of an infection. There are also other signs of infection such as swelling, warmth around the nail, pus discharge from the nail, red streaks radiating from the wound, fever. [19] X Research Source Don’t wait until the infection is serious; You should go to the doctor as soon as you notice any signs of instability.
Warning
- Do not attempt to remove an undead toenail. If you need to remove the nail for some reason, you should consult with your doctor about having a medical professional remove the nail surgically or non-surgically.
- Do not drain fluid from blisters or remove toenails when you have diabetes, peripheral artery disease, or diseases that negatively affect the immune system.
Things you need
- Warm water
- Soap
- Clean towel
- Pointed-end staples and/or blunt paper clips
- Makeup remover cotton pads
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Turn on the selector (light the gas) or similar fire source
- Non-stick gauze
- Nail clippers
- Antibiotic ointment
X
This article was co-written by Shari Forschen, NP, MA. Shari Forschen is a nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. She received her master’s degree in family nursing from the University of North Dakota and has been a nurse since 2003.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 58,430 times.
Dead toenails can cause a lot of inconvenience and pain, making you not want to wear sandals or show your toes. Dead toenails can have a variety of causes, among which include trauma (e.g., foot being repeatedly inserted into the front of a running shoe) and toenail fungus. [1] X Source of Research Even if the toenail has died and has stopped growing completely, you can still remove the toenail and treat the underlying infection. [2] X Research Source Removing the toenail prevents infection and helps the toenail heal after injury. [3] X Research Source With proper care, toenails return to normal in 6-12 months. [4] X Research Source To be sure of the condition of your toenails, you should see a healthcare professional for advice before removing the nail.
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