If the nail is yellow or brownish in color, then it could be a fungal infection. That would explain the bad smell. There are several things you can do for an infected fingernail. One of the first precautions to take is to stop touching that fingernail with your bare hands. That way you risk spreading the infection to other parts of your body. Try and handle the nail with gloves or a cotton swab.
Here are some conditions that cause nail plates to fall off:
- Tinea Unguis is ringworm in the nails. The nails thicken and get deformed and eventually fall off.
- A fungal infection which causes a condition called Onychomycosis. The nail plate typically falls off in this condition, with some debris remaining under it.
- Onychatrophia is the atrophy of the nail plate. The nail plate gradually becomes smaller and loses its natural shine eventually falling off entirely.
For fungal infections apply tea tree oil to the finger nail and supplement with garlic or Olive leaf extract. Drinking a solution of baking soda in water may also help. For ringworm consult your primary healthcare giver to get yourself a prescription for a deworming medicine.
To prevent future problems with the nail, get lots of calcium abundantly available in dairy products and spinach. Also do not soak your fingers for any length of time in soapy solutions. Until the fingernail heals try to avoid getting it wet if possible. Maybe you could wear gloves while doing any household work and while taking a bath. With these precautions a healthy nail will hopefully grow back in time, to replace the one that has fallen off.
answered by S E