Orthopedics Hand & Wrist Finger Conditions Print Fingertip Injury - Will the Tip of the Finger Grow Back? By Jonathan Cluett, MD twitter linkedin 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. Learn about our editorial process Jonathan Cluett, MD Medically reviewed by a board-certified physician Updated on April 05, 2019 More in Orthopedics Hand & Wrist Finger Conditions Hand & Wrist Fractures Wrist Conditions Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Dupuytren's Contracture Home Office Ergonomics Sprains & Strains Fractures & Broken Bones Physical Therapy Orthopedic Surgery Osteoporosis Pediatric Orthopedics Sports Injuries Shoulder & Elbow Hip & Knee Leg, Foot & Ankle Assistive Devices & Orthotics Medication & Injections View All The human body has an amazing capacity for healing. Fingers are especially noteworthy as they have an excellent blood supply and the ability to heal major wounds. In fact, some fingertip injuries can seemingly grow back. See the progression of one such injury. In general, for a fingertip injury to grow back, the injury must occur beyond where the nail starts, and some deformity of the tip of the finger will generally persist. But hand surgeons have long known that a cut-off fingertip can regain much of the normal feel, shape, and appearance. In fact, no expensive products are required, and with clean amputations of the tip of the digit, usually no surgery is required. 1 Fingetip on Day of Injury Photo © David Nelson, M.D. This picture shows a young woman who cut off the tip of her finger with a pair of scissors. She sees her physician, Dr. David Nelson, a hand surgeon in the San Francisco area. She is obviously concerned about the long-term appearance of her finger. Dr. Nelson's web site has specifics for how this injury was treated. Of note, no surgical procedures or special equipment was required to achieve this result. All of these images are of the same patient. 2 Fingertip 10 Days After Injury Photo © David Nelson, M.D. Ten days after the injury, early signs of healing are taking place. The bandage was changed at this time. The body is undergoing a healing process that some may consider the fingertip regrowing. 3 Fingertip One Month After Injury 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, and a more normal appearance is taking shape. 4 Fingertip 7 Weeks After Injury Photo © David Nelson, M.D. The final image, only seven weeks after the injury occurred, shows a finger that almost looks normal. Most people would not notice the evidence of the previous injury, and even the nail has resumed a more normal appearance. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with joint pain can cause major disruptions to your day. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body. Click below and just hit send! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article 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. David Lincoln Nelson, MD. Welcome to Dr. Nelson's Fingertip Amputations. Updated October 28, 2014.