acrylic nail break

Question
Hi I'm use to havein acrylic nails but never had one break off and take the tip of my real nail off and when it came off it only has skin showing. Its not too far down but how do I get my nail to grow back..I want to get it repaired as soon as possiable. What do I do to get my nail to grow enough to get the tip replacces?

Answer
It sounds like the nail didn't break so far down that it bled and left the nail bed (the part of your finger underneath your natural nail) exposed. If that's the case, you should be able to return to the salon and have a new extension applied.

If the break did leave the nail bed exposed-- especially if it bled and is still sore and possibly scabbed-- it's really better to have patience for a few weeks until your natural nail has grown back out to where it normally grows off the edge of your finger. Even after the nail has grown out, it might not reattach to the nailbed, leaving an uneven "smile line" (the natural curve where the nail leaves the nail bed and extends past the finger.) In most cases, though, the nail grows back normally and everything is fine.

Most people opt to simply go have the nail put back on as soon as the nail stops hurting. Just keep the area watched, and make sure you treat it just like any other wound; keep it clean and dry and make sure it doesn't get infected. Once the wound has healed sufficiently, you can have a new nail put on.