Toenail Regrowth Calculator: When Will It Grow Back?
When the nail came off, which toe, and your age. Get how much has regrown today, the date the first sliver should show, and the date the nail should be fully back.
A toenail grows about 1 to 1.5 mm a month, after a quiet period of 2 to 3 months while the nail bed heals and the matrix recovers. Smaller toenails are back in 6 to 12 months, the big toenail in 12 to 18. This calculator applies those rates to your date and toe.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Timothy Horak and Julia Shauger, board-certified podiatric specialists serving Homewood, South Chicago Heights & Mokena. Last reviewed September 2026.
Toenail regrowth calculator
When the nail came off, which toe, and a couple of details. Get the dates.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How fast do toenails grow?
Toenails grow about 1 to 1.5 millimeters a month, roughly a third of the speed of fingernails. A full big toenail is around 15 to 20 mm long, which is why a complete regrowth takes 12 to 18 months. Smaller toenails are shorter and finish in 6 to 12 months. Growth is faster in summer, in younger people, and in the big toe compared with the others.
Why does nothing appear for the first two months?
The nail is made by the matrix, hidden under the cuticle. After a removal the matrix is inflamed and the nail bed is busy closing as a wound, so nail production pauses. The first sliver usually shows at the cuticle around month 2 to 3. The calculator builds that quiet period in.
Will the nail grow back after a phenol matrixectomy?
No, and that is the point. Phenol destroys the part of the matrix that was treated, so the whole nail or the treated edge stays permanently nail-free. Around 1 in 20 treatments leaves a small spur that regrows; if a sliver appears at the treated edge months later, have it looked at.
My toenail is growing back thick and yellow. Is that normal?
A first-generation nail is often ridged and a little thicker, and that smooths out. A nail that comes back thick, crumbly, yellow-brown and lifting is more likely fungal, especially if the original nail was removed for fungus. Removal alone does not cure fungus, so a regrowing nail needs the fungus treated while the nail is still short.
See a Podiatrist Near You
ASG Foot & Ankle has offices in Homewood, South Chicago Heights and Mokena. Our board-certified podiatrists accept most insurance. Find the office closest to you: