Fingernail repair

rsl12

Our hotel bathroom was well protected against intruders. Four inches of solid oak, sliding easily along its rails. Even a flick of the wrist would send the rampart in motion, and woe to any souls in its path. "Caution: sliding door" read the sticker in the door jam.

My illiterate ring finger found out the hard way what caution should have been taken.

It's been a week. Having returned home, I am gingerly getting back to the piano. In addition to the discomfort from bruising, I feel the lack of support from my broken nail at every key press. After consulting the internet, I decided to shore it up using super glue and a teabag.

Superglue was applied evenly to the whole nail using a toothpick, then a teabag, cut to size, and another coat of superglue.

Its attractiveness rating has definitely dropped, but it wasn't that attractive without the teabag, and my nail is bracing my finger better. A simple fix for my simple blunder.

Nightowl

rsl12 Ingenious solution! Now you just need to get yourself a manicure - maybe your daughter could help with that? I'd love to see you appear at the next recital with multicoloured nail art! 😁

ShiroKuro

Ouch! So sorry you're dealing with that, but the superglue plus teabag sounds like a brilliant!

Hopefully it won't give you too much trouble as it heals! Good luck!!

Sophia

I second that Ouch! And wow, what a story! I always thought that the classical guitarists are the ones fretting about growing their nails as long as possible and pianists keeping them as short as possible (hence there aren't many who play both). Now I'm learning there can be an inconvenience either way! Hope yours heals quickly!

rsl12

Sophia I always thought that the classical guitarists are the ones fretting about growing their nails as long as possible and pianists keeping them as short as possible (hence there aren't many who play both). Now I'm learning there can be an inconvenience either way!

I feel like smashing a finger in the manner I did is probably an inconvenience for all woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments! At least I have my singing career to fall back on. I just need another gig... and a few more lyrics to the toccata...

hebele Sounds like a MacGyver solution

More like MacGruber, but thanks for thinking me so sexy and cool.

Nightowl Now you just need to get yourself a manicure - maybe your daughter could help with that?

Hmmmmm maybe. Is there such a thing as matte nail polish? Something that doesn't look like nail polish? I'm not the kind that likes to draw attention!

Stub So the Super Glue is on the remains of your nail and the teabag is on top of that to give a sort of smooth surface? The Super Glue goes away as your nail grows out?

When I find out, I will let you know! I probably should have consulted someone with a medical degree before doing this. It was only a few days ago that liquid was still seeping from the crack.

twocats I hope that part of your nail doesn't fall off! It might 😬

Yes, even with the patch, I expect that there's a very high possibility.

ShiroKuro I think the teabag actually helps with support and strengthening,

I hope you are right, as I am just following internet advice!

ShiroKuro I found a photo!

How nice you chose piano music to show behind your fingernail photos. You saved me from having to add the off-topic tag! The purple looks perfectly nice, though it's not shiro or kuro.

Nightowl Maybe @rsl12 could opt for the French manicure look?

Sorry, I'm a guy and I had to look this up. A french manicure looks like you purposely make your nails look longer than they are...? Like a pianist who wants to look like a classical guitarist?

hebele

Another Ouch! But I do like the ingenuity of teabag & superglue. Sounds like a MacGyver solution 🙂

ShiroKuro

Stub the teabag

I think the teabag actually helps with support and strengthening, right, @rsl12 ?

Nightowl multicoloured nail art!

I tried painting my nails once, IIRC one hand I did a nice pink and then other a very deep purple. It was so pretty, I loved how it looked! But even with short piano-player length nails, the flashes of purple color along the keyboard as I was playing was soooo distracting. I went and bought nail polish remover and it was gone the next day.

Stub

Ow, ow, ow! If you are a piano player, you realize how every little thing that injures your finger is a real pain in the--finger. But even if you weren't a piano player, that injury would be painful. So the Super Glue is on the remains of your nail and the teabag is on top of that to give a sort of smooth surface? The Super Glue goes away as your nail grows out?

twocats

Ouch! I hope that part of your nail doesn't fall off! It might 😬

Nightowl

ShiroKuro I can imagine how distracting those purple painted nails were. Maybe @rsl12 could opt for the French manicure look? I'm sure he could carry it off. 😁

ShiroKuro

I found a photo! 😅

I quickly returned to this

Facebook tells me these photos were from 2011!

/threaddrift sorry @rsl12 😅

ShiroKuro

Nightowl French manicure look

That's what I should have done!! Seriously, someone who never paints their nails and plays the piano, and starts with purple? Not good planning! 😅

Nightowl

rsl12 French manicure is normally just pale pink polish with small amounts of white added to the tips, to make them look ultra white... not necessarily to make the nails look longer, just to give a clean bright look. Anyway there are many shades of pink nail polish and if you choose one close to your normal nail colour you could just paint that one nail to make it unobtrusive. Most men wouldn't go down this route, but these days anything goes so there's no harm in doing it if the sight of it annoys you (especially as it will take weeks to grow out).

twocats

rsl12 Is there such a thing as matte nail polish? Something that doesn't look like nail polish? I'm not the kind that likes to draw attention!

People go to a manicure place just to get their banjo thumb nail strengthened! They can do an unobtrusive clear nail 🙂

rsl12 I probably should have consulted someone with a medical degree before doing this.

Definitely not a medical professional but know many others who got a black nail and you basically protect it until the dead part falls out and the new nail grows back in!

rsl12

The protective coat has been chipping off at the edges for a few days, but last night I must have been dreaming I was a cat because when I woke up more than half was gone. It no longer covers the Crack.

It lasted a week. I want to keep it protected at least until I can finish a recital recording (deadline is two weeks). Is it better to use a teabag again and expect to do it two more times, or should I try to find a better solution? Decisions, decisions...

Maybe I was dreaming I was Wolverine. That sounds better.

twocats

rsl12 Is it better to use a teabag again and expect to do it two more times, or should I try to find a better solution? Decisions, decisions...

It doesn't seem that the teabag was much overhead and you already have the materials for it?

ShiroKuro

rsl12 Is it better to use a teabag again and expect to do it two more times, or should I try to find a better solution?

Disclaimer: I am not (that kind of) doctor.

I think you could either re-do the tea bag process, or if you felt like it, google "fingernail repair kit" and see if there's one at a store near you.

Good luck!!

rsl12

twocats It doesn't seem that the teabag was much overhead and you already have the materials for it?

Yes, I this is probably what I'll do. It would be more effort to research another solution. And something herbal will be nice for bedtime.

ShiroKuro I think you could either re-do the tea bag process, or if you felt like it, google "fingernail repair kit" and see if there's one at a store near you.

Ah, is there such a thing? The way things are these days, I'm guessing they come in packs of 5. It's overkill unless I develop amnesia and a fondness for closing sliding doors without using the handles.

ShiroKuro

rsl12 I'm guessing they come in packs of 5. It's overkill

Good point!!

I think your tea bag solution sounds just fine, truly.

rsl12

Well the second attempt at repair only lasted two days. The Crack was so severe I severed it off, so it wouldn't catch on something and rip. Overall I think the teabag repair might be good for minor cracks only.