Infected finger nail - picture incuded

[ChaChaChaCh4nges]

I got an infection in my finger, just below and in the cuticle. It needed antibiotics to treat.

That nail bed is now exposed, and I'm going to lose the nail.

Will a new one grow? Or am I permanently down one nail?

Thanks.

It should grow back. DP had an infected toenail and that grew back.
It will take a while though. I'm not a medic.

Bathe it in warm salty water. ABs not needed.

You could visit the pharmacy for a cream for it until the infection is away. They could refer you to the GP for an antibiotic cream for it.

Keep it covered. The nail might grow back, it might not but it needs a soak in salty water or Epsom salts and then covered.

Sorry, I've not been clear. This is how my nail is now. The ABs were absolutely necessary and prescribed by my GP because my finger had swollen to twice it's normal size and pus was pouring out, but I finished the course two weeks ago.

I'm resigned to the fact that this nail is going to fall off. What I want to know is whether a new one will grow, or whether the bit of my finger that grows nail has been so damaged that a new one will never grow again.

I'd assumed that I would have started to see new nail growing by now. But nothing.

I once had an infected toenail fall off - it looked like that. From what I remember, the new nail is actually the part that you can see under the nail that's falling off. It's kind of like how shellfish shed their shells. The outer hard shell sheds and underneath is a new soft shell which once exposed hardens up. Hope that makes sense. I would give it time for the old nail to finish falling off.

Yes, a new nail will grow.
It will likely take many weeks/a few months before it looks entirely normal again.

Oh good! Thank you. I don't mind waiting for months for the new nail (not that I have any choice!) but really didn't fancy being without one permanently.

I'm a podiatrist, the nails doesn't look bad enough not to grow back, it should be ok. don't pick at it though, let it fall off on it's own, don't risk damaging the nail bed any more.

Great advice. Should I keep it covered with a plaster?

Do whatever you have to do to avoid accidentally catching it on something and yanking it off - ouch! So, yes, a plaster once it goes all loose and wobbly.
Keep the tip shortish also.

I had two as a child and both grew back normally.