Lindsay Lohan Lost Half Her Finger and Here’s How She Saved It
Lindsay Lohan just had part of her finger torn off, but do you think that stopped her from celebrating "Mean Girls Day" ?
Lindsay Lohan just had part of her finger torn off, but do you think that stopped her from celebrating Mean Girls Day?
October 3 is none other than the day that heartthrob Aaron Samuels (played by Jonathan Bennett) asks Lohan's character, Cady Heron, what day it is during algebra class in the cult classic "Mean Girls." So it's only fitting that the day is now officially known by movie buffs everywhere as Mean Girls Day.
But alongside celebrating Lohan's precious gift to the world of cinema, after a recent tragedy, October 3 will also mark another milestone — the day that Lohan had part of her finger torn off in a gnarly boating accident.
The accident, which took place on the eve of what we imagine must be the actress' favorite holiday, occurred off the coast of Turkey. TMZ reports that her ring finger, which was caught in an anchor she was attempting to pull up, was partially torn off as she tried to free herself from being dragged underwater.
Luckily for the star, her friends found the missing fingertip on the deck of the boat, and Lohan was able to have it reattached with the help of a plastic surgeon.
For those wondering how LiLo is holding up, she's been keeping her social-media followers updated on the process and her condition. From correcting early reports via Twitter that her finger was not "chopped off" but instead "ripped off" to adding a flower-crowned selfie captioned "one handed selfie," the partial loss of a finger is not keeping Lohan down.
In fact, the actress still remembered to post about Mean Girls Day via Instagram because, you know, priorities. But LiLo's loss and reattachment of her finger has us wondering what in the world we should do if we ever have to deal with an exotic boating accident or — more likely in our case — a Sunday-morning bagel-cutting incident.
What Should You Do If You Cut Off Part of Your Finger?
You'll probably never have to deal with a severed digit, but if you should ever find yourself in such a situation, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons outlines exactly what you should do to increase the chances of successful reattachment and healing :
1. Gently clean the amputated part with a sterile saline solution (or water if that isn't readily available).
2. Elevate the wound to stop bleeding and swelling.
3. Cover the wound in a moist gauze wrap.
4. Try to locate the fingertip (or other appendage) and place it in a watertight bag.
5. Make sure to put the bag on ice, and DO NOT let the ice touch the amputated part.
6. Get yourself to the emergency room with the amputated finger.
How Is a Finger Reattached?
The Encyclopedia of Surgery explains how finger reattachment is done by two separate teams in two separate rooms. One team works with the amputated finger, cleaning it in sterile solutions before labeling blood vessels and nerves, removing any dead or damaged tissue.
The second team works with the patient and assesses the injured area via X-ray, blood analysis and heart monitoring. The finger is then attached via several different stages, from trimming and stabilizing the remaining bone end to repairing the tendons as well as veins, arteries and nerves.
Finally, the finger and its superficial veins are covered with a skin flap and sutured. The repaired finger will be smaller because of the bone trimming and initial loss. Any damaged tissue that dies is removed during the surgery.
What Does Recovery Look Like?
Recovering from any kind of finger surgery is no joke. Tips include keeping the wound clean, elevating your hand and taking pain relievers as needed to ensure a successful and swift recovery. We're hoping Lohan is a really good one-handed typer.
What Do YOU think?
Are you celebrating Mean Girls Day? Have you ever lost an extremity? Share your experience below.