Nothing is painful like hurting a broken toenail. The pain cuts through your spine, and you wish every part of your body were numb. Consequently, you can't withstand having a pedicure only to worsen your situation.
Nonetheless, you want your nails to look better. How do you get the pedicure without causing more pain to the broken toenail?
Fortunately, you can get a pedicure with a broken toenail. A pedicure from a professional can help get your nail back to shape by fixing and preventing further breaks and tears (ie. how about the spray tan?).
However, there is much more than you should know before visiting the salon.
Can a pedicure fix a broken toenail?
According to the American osteopathic college of dermatology, there are several causes of broken toenails making this problem common to both men and women.
Some of the most prevalent causes of this problem are aging, frequent exposure to water, and frequent pedicures and nail polish removal.
Depending on the cause of the broken toenail, you may have to visit a nail technician or avoid the source. For instance, if you have been exposed to water frequently, which has caused the nail to break, then you should avoid that.
However, if the cause is inevitable such as aging or probably using a nail polish that damaged the nails, you might need to visit a technician. The good news is that a pedicure from an experienced technician will not only have the nail back to shape but will also prevent further damage.
Even better, if you are not ready to incur costs visiting a nail technician, you can do the pedicure all by yourself to fix a broken toenail. It is not a complicated process that will take you hours of learning, nor doesn't need many tools.
You can check this video on a home pedicure to fix a broken nail or read the section below.
How to fix a broken toenail for beginners?
If you are always keen on your expenditures, spending on a nail session at a salon won't make sense, while you could do it at no cost.
Below are details on how to fix a broken nail all by yourself;
Step 1: Wait for the nail to heal
If you have ever broken a toenail or just broken it, you know how painful it can be. Actually, that's why most people wonder if they can get a pedicure with a broken nail.
You can do anything to the nail to have it back to the shape, but first, you must wait for the nail to heal. Depending on the situation, the healing process may take two to a week.
Step 2: Cut off the remaining nail
Next, you need to cut off the remaining nail part. Note that you should only cut off the part detached from the nail bed. That is, you should not forcefully remove every other part of the nail, only the part separated from the nail bed
Step 3: File the nail
Next, use a filling tool to smoothen the other parts of the nail. Filer the nail until the broken parts have a smooth texture, especially the cuticle area.
Step 4: Apply base coat
Next, you need to apply a base coat polish. Let me explain why!
A broken nail exposes the inner skin, which would be infected if you applied a nail polish directly. Consequently, applying a base coat polish first helps to provide a transparent protective layer or coating between the nail polish and the nail.
Besides, some nail base coats have moisturizing effects, while others may help harden your nails to prevent nail breakage.
After applying the base coat, you can wait for a few minutes or use a lamp to dry it.
Caution! Don't continue if the base coat is still wet.
Step 5: Use a dual form and gel to add a nail extension
After cutting off the detached part of the broken nail, you might be a little troubled that your nail is not in shape. Well, we were not to leave it just like that. You must look good!
All you need to restore the shape of the nail is a dual form and poly gel.
Using a spatula, apply some gel to the dual form and spread it to your desired nail length.
After uniformly spreading the gel on the dual form, attach it to the nail and press it to squeeze out the gel. Wait for a few minutes for the gel to dry. Alternatively, use a nail drying lamp.
Step 6: Remove the dual form and file the nail
If the gel has dried, remove the dual form gently.
In case you are okay with the new shape of your artificial nail, you are done. If not, you can use a file to smoothen the edges.
Is it okay to get a pedicure with a bruised toenail?
In some cases, the nail damage might be too severe, requiring a professional nail technician for a pedicure.
Fortunately, it is okay to get a pedicure with a bruised toenail, but there are some things that you should be at the top of your mind.
- You should wait for the nail to heal first. The toe doesn't need to be healed entirely, but it shouldn't be painful.
- If the bruise has left a wound, you may need a doctor instead of a pedicure
- You do not necessarily need a pedicure for a bruised nail to heal
- You should not apply nail polish on a bruised toenail
- You can use a base coat to make your nails firmer or prevent fungal infections when using nail polishes on recovering bruised nails.
Can I put a fake nail on a missing toenail?
Losing a toenail might not be a big deal, especially if you spend several hours in your house. Wait until you have a vacation or a big event where you need open shoes. In such situations, you will be left wondering what to do to have your toenails look good, even if it means putting on a fake nail.
Fortunately, several fake nails are on the market at an affordable price. Besides, you don't have to be an expert to put on a fake nail.
In other words, yes, you can put on a fake nail on a missing toenail. The nail adhesives or covers are designed such that they can also stick to the toe.
If you are also wondering how you can fix a missing toenail, this video from the meticulous manicurist will help you.
Can I put acrylic over a split nail?
Acrylic is made of superior ingredients that help strengthen broken nails and repair split nails. As a result, you can use acrylic on a split nail to quicken its healing process.
However, to use acrylic to repair a split nail, the correct process highly depends on the location of the crack and if you want to retain the shape of the nail or not.
For instance, if the nail splits near the edge, the following steps will help to correct it,
Caution: Before applying acrylic on a broken nail, you should wait until the bleeding stops, and the wound dries.
- Clean the nail with a disinfectant such as alcohol to kill the germs
- Cut the loose parts of the nail and file it
- Use a base coat to protect the nail
- You can use nail glue if you want to extend the length of the nail
- Apply a PH on the toe and let it dry
- Apply an acrylic primer gentle and wait for a few minutes until it dries
- Just like you would do to any other nail, apply the acrylic to the nail
- Wait for at least 3 minutes to dry the acrylic
- Clean up the cuticle and use a file to shape the nail
If you are having difficulty following the above guide, you can look at this video on applying acrylic to broken nails.
Final remarks
If you are pretty big on the appearance of your nails, then you might be having a rough day just because you noted in the morning that your nails don't look good because of a broken nail. All you want is to see the beautiful appearance of your nails restored.
Fortunately, a pedicure can help fix a broken toenail. Even better, if you are a hands-on person, you can fix the broken toenail all by yourself.
Most importantly, you should wait for the bleeding to stop and the wound to dry before working on a broken nail.
We have discussed all things in detail and even guided you on how to apply acrylic to fix a split nail. Now you have all it takes to restore the appearance of a broken nail.