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Dr. Jacoby explains if it is necessary for a woman to stop exercising if one of her toenails falls off and shares if a fake nails can be used in its place.
Dr. Jacoby:
No, I don’t think you need to cease athletic activity if you have lost your toenail, but if you have a secondary infection it certainly should be treated and a lot of these need to have oral antibiotics.
Well, if you get a break in the skin and get an infection it certainly can spread, younger age group – probably not as bad, but as we age we have less circulation and that simple infection could become a cellulitis and spread proximally or up the leg. So that does require medical attention.
If a toenail falls off, for a man, no problem. They don’t care. Woman – lot of problems because they have more cosmetic issues. It takes about six months for a nail to grow back. In the process of growing back a lot of women want to be able to put a fake nail on, which is perfectly acceptable when there is no sign of infection.
As the nail grows in however, fungus can get underneath that artificial nail. So they should be put on and off, I think, probably at the minimum of a week to make sure they know what’s growing underneath them.
About Dr. Richard Jacoby, D.P.M.:
Dr. Richard Jacoby, D.P.M., graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine. He completed his residency at Parkview Hospital, Philadelphia, specializing in foot and ankle surgery. Board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons, he is currently president of Valley Foot Surgeons in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition, Dr. Jacoby is chairman of the board of Healthcare Networks of America.
Dr. Jacoby has been named the 2010 President of The Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons.