- A red-hot paperclip can be used to create hole(s) in the nail plate to decompress the nail bed hematoma. The procedure is rapid and the heat of the paperclip is dissipated by the hematoma so it does not damage the underlying nail bed. [Patel, 2014]
- A sterile needle can also “drill” through the nail plate, but care needs to be taken to not damage the underlying nail bed.
