A woman has issued a ‘life or death’ warning after breaking a nail, having ended up being hospitalised for a week.
Breaking a nail is all too often the butt of the joke for anyone with a flair for dramatics, but many of you will know that it can be a surprisingly serious business.
So much so, in fact, that it sent one woman to hospital, after she wound up with a nasty infection that spread across her body.
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ShawnaLeae (@shawnaleae) shared a video on TikTok to urge others not to make the same mistake that she did.
She wrote: “Lesson: when you break your nail, put a Band-Aid completely over it until you can get it fixed it is a life or death situation!!!!”
In a montage of photos and video clips, she explained how bacteria got into her finger after she broke a nail.
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She had bacterial skin infection known as cellulitis, which can be potentially serious if left untreated.
“A week in the hospital, all I need was break a nail,” ShawnaLeae said.
“I didn’t superglue good enough and bacteria got in it when I took Myla to Disney World on her birthday!
“The infection spread to half my body: Cellulitis.”
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The TikToker ended up putting on more than a stone in weight after swelling up from the infection.
“My whole body is swollen,” she said.
“I can barely walk: legs, ankles, feet, arms. I’m full of fluids because my kidney function went from .7 to 2.4.”
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Speaking to the camera to show off her puffy body, an exhausted ShawnaLeae said: “So I only ate maybe a day and half in that hospital for a week, and I’m an extra 17lbs.”
Other social media users couldn’t believe her story, and just how quickly things escalated.
One commented: “Omg?? All that because of a broken nail is wild.”
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Another said: “You’re lucky you didn’t lose your finger.”
Someone else warned: “Soon as there’s major damage just go to urgent care and get it taken off.”
Many also told others to be cautious when it came to cellulitis, sharing other instances of how easily it can turn nasty.
“Yeah, cellulitis is so scary,” one said, adding: “I caught it very early on my leg. Still puzzled how a bug bite turned into cellulitis...”
Another recalled: “I had a scratch on my knee and it led to me almost getting my leg amputated. Cellulitis is no joke.”
A third said: “So glad you’re ok. Cellulitis is so dangerous. People don’t realize how fast it can get life threatening. I had it and was lucky to notice right away.”
According to the NHS, cellulitis can be treated with antibiotics, with most people making a full recovery after 7-10 days.
However, if it is severe, you might be referred to hospital for treatment.
Jess Hardiman