Cracked fingernail?

What should I do about my fingernail?

• Almost a two weeks ago, I shaved over my middle fingernail. It bled. Now about a half of a centimeter down the middle of my fingernail and half a centimeter to the right is cracked and is not attached to the skin except for when the fingernail meets the skin. It's been almost two weeks and it's not healed at all even though I have had it wrapped up for a while. If anything, it's becoming worse (or at least I think so). My friends told me it might be a good idea just to rip off the part that's not attached to my skin. But, I do t know for sure if that's the right thing to do and I'm scared I am gonna screw up my fingernail. I'm also scared of what the skin under it looks like and what might happen to it. Should I trim of the part that's not attached to let it re-grow? Or should I let it drive me crazy and deal with it?

• Answer:

  Ouch! I wouldn't completely rip off the nail because then your skin is open to alot of infections and that's just going to make it worse. Just trim your nail up to where it attaches again to your skin. Be sure to clean the wound really well with peroxide just to be sure to keep gunk out of it, add triple antibiotic ointment(Neosporin) to it and wrap it up with a band-aid but be sure to let it air out everyone in awhile. Hope it gets better!