Fingernail halfway ripped off....?

Question

I'm not sure how it happened, but I caught my fingernail on my dishwasher handle and half of it ripped off about half an inch down. It was holding on by a bit and I put a band aid on it. It seems like I should try to rip the rest off, but somehow, after I put the band aid on for a day, it seems to have reattached itself sort of. When I try to pull on it, it is stuck to the skin underneath a little, but I can see where it isn't really attached either, and there is a crack all the way through and dried blood underneath. Does it just reattach? Do I need to pull it off? It hurts! Anyone know what's going on with that? Thanks!

Answer 1

Keep it clean and covered and apply a topical antibiotic (neosporin) on it and wait, your nail bed will eventually die and you can pull it off without any pain ( it also gives your nail time to grow some to cover the tissue underneath) but if you try to pull or cut it off before then it hurts like h**l and leaves the tissue underneath more susceptible to infection! and that's not good!