Trapped fingers and nail injuries
Blood under a nail is common and usually manageable. Deformity, or a nail lifting at its base, is not.
Crushing a fingertip in a door or with a hammer causes bleeding under the nail. The pressure builds in a rigid space, which is why it throbs so persistently.
Straight away
- Run it under cool water for a few minutes.
- Raise the hand above heart level to limit swelling.
- Cold pack wrapped in cloth, twenty minutes on and twenty off. Never ice directly against skin.
Get it looked at if
- The finger looks bent or will not bend normally — possible fracture.
- Blood covers more than roughly half the nail. That often needs releasing, and it is a job for a clinician rather than a hot paperclip.
- The nail is lifting at its base, or there is a cut through the nail fold.
- Pain is severe and not settling with elevation.
If the skin is broken
Clean, dry and cover with a small dressing, changed daily. Fingertips are high-contamination areas and worth keeping covered.
See a pharmacist, GP or urgent care if a wound will not stop bleeding after ten minutes of firm pressure, is deep or gaping, was caused by something dirty or rusty, contains anything you cannot flush out, or shows spreading redness, heat, swelling, pus or a fever. Get help urgently for animal or human bites, wounds over a joint, and any wound in someone with diabetes or poor circulation.
Shop the range
FitMedix products are CE-marked medical devices intended for the care of minor wounds. This site does not provide medical advice — seek professional help for deep, dirty or non-healing wounds, or if signs of infection appear. Always read the instructions on the pack.