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What do you do when your toe nails come off?

nidarosa

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Time of past OR future Camino
Enjoying the camino since 2009
I've never really experienced toe nails coming off before, though I sometimes get a blister on top of my second toe that means I have to cut the nail (and the blister) to relieve the pressure. This year I tried to get used to walking in my boots (I prefer shoes) for Hadrian's Wall, and all I achieved was to get two black big toe nails. The Hadrian's Wall walk went well, but now I am getting ready to go to Spain again for a two week camino, and both big toe nails are now coming loose so I have had to cut them. They only cover 1/3 of the original nail area now and the skin underneath - which is now out in the open - is like a hard scab and will presumably come off at some point.

What do you do when that happens? Should I just walk with them like that or will the humidity and swelling inside my socks and shoes make the new skin soften or crack? Do I tape them, plaster them, rub them with calendula cream, cut them more, cut them less or walk in sandals? Will the nails get attached to the skin again when they grow out or will they always be loose?

Not panicking at all, since there is no pain and no problem, I just wondered. I've heard lots about pilgrims getting black nails or losing them, but not what they actually do about it.
 
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The toenail is a useless piece keratin for us humans. I've lost most of mine walking on the Camino for 5 years and they have never grown back, some have just fallen off, some I had to pull off; but it was no big deal. Do we really need them as a developed species? I have no idea.
 
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Hi, nidarosa, it happens to me every single year. Usually within the first four days I have at least one black nail. I do nothing, just leave it alone. It will stay on your toe till the new one growing underneath pushes it out. Usually that happens after I'm home and the Camino is just a distant memory. And I've never had any problem with any bad after-effects.
 
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Mine have let go of their moorings and had to be cut right down to stop them catching on things or getting torn off. This happened to one of my finger nails once and that is still only stuck to the finger half way up the nail, hence the question of whether the toe nails will attach again. It's not a good look at the moment but pilgrims have no doubt seen worse.
 
i usually wait till they grow back again! in the meantime i keep the wounded area
clean with antiseptic (TCP). the trick is to train them with nail file etc otherwise ya wind up with ingrowing nails! i suspect all of us deep down realise its a problem with boot/shoe size and the fitting thereof! i think we do need our toe nails as a first line of defence and firmly believe that as an evolving separate species us caminatos should come complete with hooves!!!!!

the malingerer!
 
Haha, that's probably a good idea! The offending boots had new/different insoles in them and must have got a bit too tight though I can't remember this being a problem before ... but then I don't like wearing boots in the first place, and I'm not likely to ever wear them again now.
 
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Idem here...always a black nail..although this year the jury is still debating : falling off or not. Just keep it disinfected and clean with Iso betadin and or Fucidin. I would post a pic but better not....
 
My small toenail fell out when I returned home. But after a while the nail grew back.
 
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I am a runner and lose them quite frequently. They look nasty, but always grow back. I'm losing one now after hiking in the Tetons several weeks ago. I start my camino in a week and a half, but not worried at all. More concerned with keeping nasty blisters away! Buen Camino!
 
A perennial issue for the Caminoraptor species. Black toenails happen with boots or shoes. Some good preventive measures: (1) wearing boots or shoes with a wide toe box to prevent toes pressing against one another (this works for me), (2) keeping toenails short and without sharp edges which will cut adjacent toes and snag socks (this works for me). Long live the Caminoraptor.
 
Nope, there will be no pictures Seems that most people see the nail coming back again, and that's something I guess. Though if they didn't there would be no need to keep cutting them ... I stopped wearing uncomfortable shoes many years ago and am very happy with my set-up, this is why it's never happened to me before. I just tried out a new configuration and the nails protested and left! Thanks for your replies, folks - and can I use the word 'caminoraptor'? Lots?
 
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I put a small piece of tape over each toenail I lost to keep my socks from catching the toenail and to protect from the top of my shoe rubbing when going on steep downhills.
 
Of course you can use the word caminoraptor (which was firs used here).

It should not be confused with the fast running (with long, razor-sharp "nail" or claw on each hindfoot) velociraptor from the Jurassic Park series.

The caminoraptor is nice, help others, keeps the toenails trimmed, and covers long distances at a comfortable pace.

Already then, now we can go back to conducting serious business in this forum.
 
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nidarosa said:
I've heard lots about pilgrims getting black nails or losing them, but not what they actually do about it.
Click to expand...

Just leave it to heal itself, if it doesn’t appear to need medical attention. I usually get a black toe nail if I stub my foot hard on a rock, either in boots or trainers. It takes a good whole year for the new nail to grow through . . . and then I go and do it again . . . . drives me bonkers.
 

Same here, although two years ago the hospi in Azofra insisted that I went to the doc and nurse who were visiting that day in the village. I had a blast because those two gave hilarious comments about my toenail. Nurse had the biggest bottle Iso Betadine I have ever seen...
 
i prefer the nurse who stands behind the bar with a big big bottle of vino tinto! and nope i dont bathe the tootsises in it either!
the malingerer!
ps this year for a chunk of the veedlepee i have my Meindl Bhutan boots which i have broken in for the last year and will be curious to see what the big toe nails gonna do about it!!
 
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Am back from our first foray a couple of weeks now (about 8 days on del Norte and the Primitivo) and I am so enjoying this thread - especially with post-Camino blisters and calluses and one "white nail" now "in tow" (pun intended). Hang in there and Buen Camino - the above is all great info and extremely useful and practical even withOUT the pictures. Thank you! Teresa
 
nidarosa said:
since there is no pain and no problem, I just wondered. I've heard lots about getting black nails or losing them, but not what they actually do about it.
Click to expand...
I've lost one big toenail twice in my lifetime and the other once (all 3 from long walks). I just worked with mine and as they were ready to break free I gave them a hand. There was no blood or open wound so I worried not. Although not pretty at the time they grew back in 9 months. You're good to go!
 
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IMHO, Sailor's posts are the most spot on. The underlying problem regarding losing toenails is actually a two-part issue:

1. The first part is proper care and trimming of toenails beforehand. Toenails should be trimmed straight across, and as short as you can without incurring ingrown toenails. This protects the top of the toe (original purpose) and helps preclude contact with the inner front of your shoe / boot toe box.

While it tempting to have a pedicure to get your toe nails are "prettied up" before your Camino, contoured trimming of the toe nails is not recommended if you are going to be running or hiking long distances. I get pedicures before and after my Caminos. I am not too proud to admit it. It helps me keep my feet functional. I like the "cheese grater / slicer" used on my thick callouses (my unique issue).

2. The second part, which has been mentioned above, is that there is likely not enough room between the front of your toes and the inside front of your shoe toe box. This links to the never-ending discussion about buying shoes that are intentionally larger than you street size, allowing extra room for double socks, swelling, and down hill foot shifting. I am not going down that path today, because everyone's feet and toes are different.

The last bit in #2 is also very important. Even with plenty of extra front space inside the shoe, if your feet are not securely laced into the heel counter, they will slide forward and strike the inner front of the toe box, especially when walking downhill. This contact results in bruised toes, blisters and lost toe nails. Pay special attention to lacing your shoes or boots each morning and check them throughout the day. If you experience something that does not feel right, STOP and correct it. Waiting will only increase the likelihood of blisters or worse.

Finally, there are several foot fungi that LOVE the moist, hot insides of your shoes or boots and can cause loss of the toe nail. I use Gore Tex uppers on both my Keen hiking boots and sandals. This helps keep the tropical atmosphere inside my footwear to a tolerable state. Ask your doctor about foot fungi and take steps as recommended.

As always, I hope this helps.
 
I regularly get blisters under the toenails of my second toes even though my shoes and socks are roomy and I never feel my toes hit anything. They fall off after a couple of days. If you are using communal showers, I would definitely recommend using an antifungal cream on the "lost nail" toes every day (or twice a day) to prevent them growing in infected. Though I mourn the loss of my pretty toenails, I would not trade in my Caminos to get them back!
 

Sorry I didn't pay attention to your response earlier, nidarosa. You can be sure that the nails falling off will not reattach. The best you can hope for is that they will cover the skin while new ones grow up underneath. But there's no problem if they fall off, in my experience. Pulling the old one out before it's ready to fall out can cause bleeding, but it's a delicate dance between having them get caught on something like a sock and inadvertently ripped off and just leaving them alone.
 
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What to do when it comes off?....just throw it away! Just joking.

Apparently it is painless. Good idea about the tape over the top. I rounded mine with a file so they would slide inside the socks. They slid away happily and never had a problem with any of the ten of them.

Buen Camino
 
I lost my two big toe nails from hiking the camino. The toe nails were too long and hit the shoe. The toe box of the shoe was too small as well. I cut the toe nails on the camino, but the damage was done. The nail bed (lover cuticle) was incredibly bruised and swollen. I put on a band-aid (plaster) and walked on. It's been 6 months since I finished my camino, my toe nails fell off after about 4 weeks, and new ones have been growing. The most damaged one is about 2/3s the size of the original-- I just stopped putting a band-aid on each toe, as it gave me the creeps to look at, and the skin under the nails was sensitive even to a soft sock. I have been living in TEVA sandals and mens Teva hiking shoes since my return.

I did give a talk to a scout troop about "Hiking with foot pain" last Tuesday night. The younger scouts thought my new toe nails were completely cool. I took the insert from my shoe that I wore on the camino to show them how my foot did not actually fit on the insert, but overlapped about an inch! (2mm).

I threw away my shoes in Santiago de Compostela.

Buen camino!
 
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Haha! No, not tried that yet. On the Frances now and have stubbed my toes on rocks a few times, wouldn't recommend it. Other than that I can't say I notice them much. Lots of good advice here on how to avoid it though, even if it didn't apply to me. I am now carrying paper tape. In other news the weather is lovely and very soon it will be vino medicino time!
 
Happy journey and Buen Camino, nidarosa! Long may your ease continue......and good you have that paper tape if not.
 
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I have a black toenail at present and regularly lose my toenails on really Long Walks....my boots are well and truly roomy enough and my socks are not tight. I do tape my toes each time I walk now though and this helps prevent any infection or bugs which may be lurking.
 
One word: sandals. Or perhaps that should be three words: quality hiking sandals.
 
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