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Injuries to the nails on the legs
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Trauma of the nails on the legs can occur unexpectedly. On the leg, something heavy can fall, the nail can be pounded upon impact against a hard surface, finally, the nail can shrink and turn blue and run in uncomfortable shoes. What are the causes of nail injuries on the legs and what to do about it?
Injury of the nail due to the fact that the weight has fallen
When the weight fell on the leg, the nail immediately reacts to it. A person can scream from pain, jump on another, healthy leg, and at night he can get fever and pull his leg under his fingernail. This means that not only the nail, but also the toe is severely injured. He begins to limp on one leg, put everything on the sick finger that is called cold, and at night still wake up from the pain under the fingernail - at least 2-3 nights.
Almost immediately after the impact, the nail turns blue, then turns black and, finally, begins to disappear with pain and suffering from a sore thumb. The nail blackens because under it due to trauma there was internal bleeding. Then there are two options - when the nail disappears (because now it is not live, but dead tissue), under it a new one will grow on the finger. This new nail will first be uneven, wavy, ugly, small, and then will become even and shiny. Is this the only development option? Of course not.
The new nail can grow crooked, hunchbacked, ugly and yellow. This will happen if the person did not spare himself and his nails: he smoked, wore tight shoes, gave excessive loads to his legs, did not take vitamins and had a poor diet of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
How long will it take to recover?
To grow a normal, clean, uniform, beautiful nail, a person may need at least 4-8 weeks, a maximum of 4-6 months. At this time it is very important to keep your feet clean and watch that they do not have wounds, burrs, and if this happens, treat them with bactericidal agents. Otherwise, under the nail can get a bacterial infection and spoil everything.
At this time, it is also worth wearing properly selected shoes. After all, the nail can blacken and fall off or grow slowly because of the fact that it is crammed into the shoes that binds the movements. Properly selected shoes - such that between the tip and the tip of the big toe is a place equal to the nail of the big toe.
Blackening of the nail due to tight shoes
Fashion lovers may not even think about their own health, and most of them may be at risk of losing their nails. Or several if they wear too narrow and tight shoes. This is especially true for athletes who also want to pay tribute to fashion. True, sports. If in such shoes a person will run, walk a lot, jump or engage in other sports, the feet will have an increased load, and this will primarily affect the nails, which will be the first to take the blow.
The nail, which is squeezed tightly with shoes, first turns black, and then begins to exfoliate from the finger - all the same as when you hit it with something heavy. The only thing that the pain can be less, and the temperature rise may not be.
But under the nail also formed a bruise (bruise), which also stains the nail (or rather, the space below it) in black or dark blue. At the same time under the fingernail, the area pulsates, it's pretty painful. The pain can last 5-6 hours and even the whole day. The blood that accumulates under the fingernail aggravates the situation, exerting even greater pressure on the nail. A person may have a feeling that the finger is torn.
How to treat such a nail?
You can treat a sick leg with iodine solution. Then from the hematoma it is necessary to release blood so that it does not accumulate and does not give such severe pain, pressing on the nail. You can take a needle or a paper clip, heat it on the burner's fire and burn a hole in the nail. Through it flows out the accumulated blood. It is not necessary to experience: the flow of blood can be quite strong, but it is useful, and not harmful.
After this, you need to apply a nail compress, moistened with cold water, or ice - it will relieve the inflammation and soreness under the fingernail. Please note that the blood from the hematoma should be released immediately after the damage to the nail, because otherwise the nail will begin to exfoliate.
Precautionary measures
If you do not pierce the hematoma, then the old nail will start to grow slowly new, and the old nail will peel off. If a few days after the injury, he will still be sick, you can sometimes lower your leg into cold water - this will relieve pain and inflammation a little.
To avoid pus under the fingernail and not to infect the infection, you can use Vishnevsky's ointment for disinfection. It is necessary to try to take a sick leave if the person is at work, and do not squeeze the nail with shoes - no, neither close, nor spacious.
If you are afraid to pierce the hematoma and carry out subsequent manipulations, you need to contact a surgeon, he will do it in normal hospital conditions to avoid infection.
If the nail is not removed
That healing process will go better. The fact is that with the removal of the nail, even in hospital conditions, the nail bed is necessarily injured, and this is very painful and bad for the finger. The new nail in its place is not protected, it can grow very poorly, in layers, infection can penetrate it, as the nail plate is still very weak.
If the nail is not removed, the old nail in the middle will be hollow and a new nail plate will grow under it. The old nail will protect it from damage and injuries. To give both nails - both old and new 0 such an opportunity - you need an old nail for a while, while growing young, fasten with a bandage or bandage, and do not wear shoes for a week or even two at all.
If during this time there are no blood and suppuration under the fingernail, then the healing process is going well, you can not worry. The blood that has dried up will stick to the new young nail and will not stop it from growing. As the growth process passes, you need to remove the old nail tissue with tweezers or scissors.
How to protect your nails in hikes?
When you go on a hike, you need to foresee that you can fall, walk a long time and climb mountains and rough terrain that shoes can squeeze or rub. Therefore, in advance you need to take care of safety measures for leg and nail health on toes.
Choose spacious shoes and do not squeeze your legs with laces
For hiking can not take sneakers or shoes, which are very tight socks. It is best to use shoes on the cushion sole with orthopedic insoles, which breathe well.
In order not to press the nail, if it is too long and rests against the toe of the shoe, watch its optimal length. Cut the shoes as needed.
To protect your feet during hikes, be sure to get socks made from natural fabric, and in stock should be thick socks that absorb moisture well. They will protect the legs and nails from blows, in them the foot will be comfortable.
When you go down, the nails are stressed, because the whole weight falls on them. Use a little trick: get down from the hill sideways, so you'll save your nails from the hematoma under them.
Do not use too slippery insoles. They can cause bruising and nail injuries. Check before the hike, whether the insole is comfortable and if necessary - replace it.
Use shoes with the correct shoe. The correct shoe is the one in which the heel is below the toe and already the toe. If everything is the opposite, the pressure on the big toes will be raised, and the foot will slide and pinch the nails against the toe of the shoe.
If you have to run a lot, take time at first to learn the correct technique of running. Otherwise, the knees and feet will have an increased load, and you can not talk about nails. Learn to run like "raking" stitches, so that your feet do not fight against the ground, but roll over it.
Damage to the nails with pedicure
Nails can be damaged even when you want to make them beautiful. That is - with pedicure. If the master inattentively pushes the cuticle, cuts the cuticle too much or the nail itself, damage to the nail rollers may occur.
If the cuticle is regularly cut incorrectly, the nail can resemble an old wash board: it will be all in the waves. If the cuticle is damaged, a part of the nail is damaged, and after that it can no longer grow properly.
If you use cheap nail polish foot, funds with acetone, other chemicals for the treatment of nails, they are also damaged. Nails on the legs can turn yellow or become covered with white stripes, they can begin to break up, break down. This especially applies to little fingers, on which the nails, with improper care at all, can be broken into two parts and, catching on everything in the world, including socks, pantyhose and bed linen, can bring severe pain and bleeding. After all, this is a serious injury.
Burrs on the nails lead to injuries
The nail can blacken and change its color due to banal burrs. How can this happen? And it's very simple: a hangnail can lead to the bacteria getting under the nail. This can lead to infection of the blood or fungus under the fingernails, which is then very long and difficult to treat. The nail can blacken and fall off due to the penetration of pathogenic bacteria and fungus.
Binds above the toenails can arise not only because of improper cutting of the cuticle. Or cutting the cuticle with a poor quality, blunt, cheap tool. They can arise and because of too frequent use of various chemical means, for example, detergents. The nail skin of the feet reacts instantly: it immediately changes from smooth to rough, it can crack, sores and wounds can form on it.
Burrs can also appear due to non-observance of personal hygiene, when the feet are not washed in time, when a person wears poor-quality shoes, synthetic socks, from which the skin is irritated and scaly. If the person on the toes is close to the vessels, the risk of burrs increases.
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What to do with a hangnail on your legs?
You can not tear them off or cut them with blunt scissors, besides. Not disinfected. They need to be cut with sharp scissors, which are pre-burned on fire, disinfected with alcohol solution or calcined in a special cabinet for manicure tools. Otherwise, infection is possible, and the result will be a black, fallen off fingernail.
The wound that opened after cutting the burr, you need to disinfect, you can also use wound healing remedy to avoid pain. This is suitable for sea buckthorn oil or calendula oil. If from the wound after cutting the gnat is blood, you can sprinkle it with an inexpensive, but very effective powder - streptocide. He perfectly decontaminates the wound. And, of course, after this procedure, you should try not yet to shoe shoes, although within 2-3 hours.
Be healthy and take care of your toenails from injuries and improper care.