When Toenails Leave
This past month, I experienced both of my big toenails falling off.
This was a startling experience for me, mostly because it had never happened before and because they both came off within weeks of each other. I'm no expert in toenails (clearly) but I'd like to impart what little knowledge I have, just in case I can helpful for other dancers.
Both of my purple nails came from a sudden blow causing the bruising, rather than continuous rattling around in shoes. After initial pain, they were fine for dancing. In fact, the right toe was fine for about half a year after the initial injury--it was probably the result of me dropping furniture on it. The left toe suffered from a pointe class injury and took all of four weeks to come off (although it was hanging on by literally a corner for the last ten days of that).
So what do you do with a bruised or loose toenail?
Much of the advice on the internet deals with piercing the nail to let the blood drain. Even if your nail is purple, it's probably not necessary unless it hurts. Don't poke yourself with hot needles if it's not needed.
Keep those toes taped! Literally the last thing you want is to be sleeping and have your blanket catch on a toe that's not ready to come off. Keep them taped with first aid fabric tape (you might already use this for pointe work). If you'd like, make a little square of tape to cover the nail so that when removing the wrapping, you don't take the nail with you.
Get a tube of some sort of anti-bacterial gel, either Neosporin or Levomekol (if you find this happening while you're at the Bolshoi). This is especially important if only one edge of the nail lifts up. Only the very back third of my right nail lifted at first, and a lot of water got under there during showers and it was hard to squeeze it all out. Be careful of infections and fungi.
Finally, just wait. Keep dancing, but only if you aren't in a lot of pain. The friction and pressure will usually wiggle and loosen that nail and it will come free on its own. In the event that it's hanging on by a little corner or edge, try taking a cuticle cutter to it after a shower. Work very gently and carefully, and don't go too hard, but it will work pretty well on softened skin.
One thing I am definitely going to do is ask around about new styles of padding to make sure it doesn't happen again, and since the nurse also said that "all of my nails are traumatized," so I'm taking biotin supplements. I spoke with a Bolshoi nurse, who recommended a long break from pointe work, which I was pretty much unwilling to do. The new nails don't hurt all that much, and I'm keeping a close eye on them to make sure they grow right.
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| The results of bathroom floor surgery |
Both of my purple nails came from a sudden blow causing the bruising, rather than continuous rattling around in shoes. After initial pain, they were fine for dancing. In fact, the right toe was fine for about half a year after the initial injury--it was probably the result of me dropping furniture on it. The left toe suffered from a pointe class injury and took all of four weeks to come off (although it was hanging on by literally a corner for the last ten days of that).
So what do you do with a bruised or loose toenail?
Much of the advice on the internet deals with piercing the nail to let the blood drain. Even if your nail is purple, it's probably not necessary unless it hurts. Don't poke yourself with hot needles if it's not needed.
Keep those toes taped! Literally the last thing you want is to be sleeping and have your blanket catch on a toe that's not ready to come off. Keep them taped with first aid fabric tape (you might already use this for pointe work). If you'd like, make a little square of tape to cover the nail so that when removing the wrapping, you don't take the nail with you.
Get a tube of some sort of anti-bacterial gel, either Neosporin or Levomekol (if you find this happening while you're at the Bolshoi). This is especially important if only one edge of the nail lifts up. Only the very back third of my right nail lifted at first, and a lot of water got under there during showers and it was hard to squeeze it all out. Be careful of infections and fungi.
Finally, just wait. Keep dancing, but only if you aren't in a lot of pain. The friction and pressure will usually wiggle and loosen that nail and it will come free on its own. In the event that it's hanging on by a little corner or edge, try taking a cuticle cutter to it after a shower. Work very gently and carefully, and don't go too hard, but it will work pretty well on softened skin.
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| Cuticle Cutter. Slides easily around nail corners. Wiggle wiggle. |
After everything is over and that sucker is off of your toe, do all the right wound things--clean it, put salve on it, and bandage it, since it will probably be pretty tender. That skin hasn't felt a lot with its protective nail on it.
Those nails will probably crack after pointe classes, especially if they don't have time to grow under the protection of their dead predecessor. In that case, buy some nail strengthener--5 buck Sally Hansen stuff from CVS--and apply as many layers as you feel is necessary.
One thing I am definitely going to do is ask around about new styles of padding to make sure it doesn't happen again, and since the nurse also said that "all of my nails are traumatized," so I'm taking biotin supplements. I spoke with a Bolshoi nurse, who recommended a long break from pointe work, which I was pretty much unwilling to do. The new nails don't hurt all that much, and I'm keeping a close eye on them to make sure they grow right.
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