Orthopedics Hand & Wrist Finger Conditions Fingertip Injury: Will the Tip of the Finger Grow Back? By Jonathan Cluett, MD Jonathan Cluett, MD LinkedIn Twitter Jonathan Cluett, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with subspecialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopic surgery. Learn about our editorial process Updated on June 14, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Yaw Boachie-Adjei, MD Medically reviewed by Yaw Boachie-Adjei, MD LinkedIn Yaw Boachie-Adjei, MD, is a board-certified, double-fellowship Orthopedic Surgeon at Kaiser Permanente in Georgia. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Print The human body has an amazing capacity to heal, even after major injuries like cutting off the tip of your finger. Hand surgeons have long known that a cut-off fingertip can regain much of its normal feel, shape, and appearance. Wounds to the fingers typically heal well because fingers have an excellent blood supply. Usually, with clean amputations of the fingertip (or even the digit itself), surgery is not needed. In general, for a fingertip injury to grow back fully, the injury must occur beyond where the fingernail starts. This article shows the stages of healing for a fingertip amputation. Day of Injury This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo Photo © David Nelson, M.D. This young woman accidentally cut off the tip of her finger with a pair of scissors. She visited a hand surgeon to be evaluated. No surgical procedures or special equipment were used. The wound was cleaned well and covered with a waterproof dressing. 10 Days After Injury This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo Photo © David Nelson, M.D. Early signs of healing can be seen 10 days later when she revisited her healthcare provider for a dressing change. One Month After Injury This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing. See Photo Photo © David Nelson, M.D. About one month after the injury, the wound is now dry. More soft tissue is now covering the tip of the finger, which is beginning to take on a more normal appearance. 7 Weeks After Injury Photo © David Nelson, M.D. This image, taken only seven weeks after the injury occurred, shows a finger that looks nearly normal. The fingernail has resumed a more normal appearance and most people would not notice that the fingertip had been injured. Tips to Promote Healing Your healthcare provider will provide you with instructions to help keep your injury stay clean and heal well. Follow them to the letter to prevent infection and promote the growth of healthy new tissue. For example, cleaning the wound with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide is not advised as it can slow healing. It is important to ask how often your bandage should be changed at home and which topical products (such as antibiotic ointment) you should use. Monitor your injury for signs of infection, like redness, swelling, or drainage, and be sure to attend your follow-up appointments so your provider can monitor your progress. Summary Though they may be scary, many fingertip injuries (including clean amputations of the tip itself) can be treated without a need for surgery. It's important to keep your wound clean and covered, and to talk to your doctor if you have concerns about infection. In most cases, the injury may not even be visible once the wound heals. Frequently Asked Questions How does skin grow back? Skin grows back thanks to the body's natural ability to heal wounds. This process requires the help of many different types of cells. Put simply, healing skin starts by clotting the wound so that it remains closed. Then, blood cells deliver oxygen and nutrients to the wound site so that new tissue can be built. The length of repair depends on a wound's severity, but some can take years to fully heal. How long do fingernails take to grow back? Fingernails take six months to grow from the germinal matrix (nail root) to the end of the nail. Fingernails have a growth rate of about three millimeters (0.1 inches) per month, but age and poor circulation can cause slower growth. Learn More: Structure and Growth of Fingernails and Toenails 3 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Takeo M, Chou WC, Sun Q, et al. Wnt activation in nail epithelium couples nail growth to digit regeneration. Nature. 2013;499(7457):228-232. doi:10.1038/nature12214 University of Rochester Medical Center. How Wounds Heal. Yaemsiri S, Hou N, Slining M, He K. Growth rate of human fingernails and toenails in healthy American young adults. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2010;24(4):420-423. doi:10.1111/j.1468-3083.2009.03426.x By Jonathan Cluett, MD Jonathan Cluett, MD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery. He served as assistant team physician to Chivas USA (Major League Soccer) and the United States men's and women's national soccer teams. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit