Beautiful and healthy nails are the calling card of any person. Darkening of the nails on the toe or hand can be a consequence of various unfavorable phenomena in the human body: the penetration of fungal infections, injuries, the development of internal diseases. In some cases, the nails may turn black. If your toenails turn black, this is a good reason to see a doctor. If you do not get treatment in time, this can lead to very serious consequences. In the following article, you will learn the reasons for blackening of toenails.
Smooth nail plates with a natural pinkish tint look aesthetically pleasing and are a sign of a healthy body. If their smooth and hard structure is disrupted, and the surface of the nail darkens, then this indicates the development of internal negative factors that affect the nails. In this case, you need to immediately establish the reasons by finding out why your toenails or fingernails turn black.
Smooth nail plates with a natural pinkish tint look aesthetically pleasing and are a sign of a healthy body
The danger of blackening of nails is that in 8 out of 10 cases it is caused by foot diseases. In addition to changing the shade, the disease can cause deformation of the nail plate and detachment. The shade of your nails will tell you a lot about the state of your body. For example, a bluish color indicates disorders of the cardiovascular system and problems with blood circulation.
If the shade turns pale blue, this indicates difficulties in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The appearance of yellow spots and dots indicates improper metabolism of fats and sometimes indicates diseases of the cerebral cortex. Nail psoriasis, which acts as an independent disease or a complication of problems with the skin, sometimes leads to unpleasant consequences.
A characteristic sign of this disease, in addition to the fact that the nails turn black, doctors note the formation of pits that turn the nail plate into something like a thimble. The most serious problem that causes blackening is considered to be hemangioma. This term hides a benign tumor that causes persistent pain.
In this case, the toenails darken due to the proliferation of blood vessels. Only an experienced doctor will determine the exact cause of problems with nails, so at the first sign you need to rush to a consultation and not engage in dangerous self-medication.
If your big toenail has turned black, then you should be more careful about your health.
If your big toenail has turned black, then you should be more careful about your health. After all, the presence of such a symptom may indicate the development of serious diseases that require immediate treatment. Sometimes darkening of the nail bed is associated with exposure to external negative factors. The main thing here is to understand the exact reason why the nail on the big toe turned black and try to eliminate it as quickly as possible.
Conventionally, the reasons for changes in the color of the nail plates can be divided into two types: pathological; non-pathological.
The most common cause of blackening of the nail is subungual hemorrhage. It can occur as a result of a bruise or blow, due to improper care, or from previous diseases of the body. This problem often appears when wearing tight and uncomfortable shoes, when the toes constantly rest against the front wall of boots or boots, as well as with a hereditary predisposition.
The most common cause of blackening of the nail is subungual hemorrhage.
People with dark skin are more susceptible to melanonychia. It often appears in women during pregnancy. Blackening of the nail can be caused by melanocytic formations on the nail bed.
Large toenails can turn black for two main reasons: external and internal. External factors include the following circumstances:
If your fingernail has darkened due to external factors, then these cases are not dangerous and are safe for life. They will not harm the body.
This darkening is said to be due to various diseases. Blackening of the nails is a symptom that there is something wrong with the body and you should consult a doctor. Internal factors include the following:
A tumor of the big toe can cause the nail to turn black
Fungal infections typically affect multiple nails, not just the big toe.
Often the causes of blackening are associated with fungal diseases on the nails. Pathogens of the genus Candida are localized on the nails. The plates change color, become thick, and black or brown spots appear under the nails. At the same time, nails crumble easily. The skin of the fingers also suffers from microorganisms. It turns red and becomes covered with cracks that bleed. In these situations, you should consult a dermatologist.
In the human body, everything is interconnected and a change in the color of the nail plate on the big toe may indicate a disruption in its functioning. For example, if the nail has a dark blue color, close to black, then this may signal the development of heart pathologies and circulatory disorders.
As a rule, with the development of cardiac pathologies, the nails on both the toes and hands turn blue, and not one at a time, but all at once. It is worth noting that the degree of darkening of each of them may be different.
If you notice that other nails are acquiring a bluish tint, then remember if you have observed other unpleasant symptoms - tingling in the legs or arms, cramps, numbness? If you have experienced at least one of these symptoms before, you should not delay visiting a specialist. All this may indicate either the initial stages of the development of cardiac pathologies, or an exacerbation of existing chronic heart diseases.
Poor blood circulation in the lower extremities can be associated with the influence of both external and internal factors. Quite often, you can hear from people who like to wear lace-up shoes that their big toe nails have turned black. This is because they tie the laces too tightly, which leads to compression of the blood vessels and poor circulation. Wearing tight shoes and tight socks can also contribute to this.
Poor blood circulation in the lower extremities can be associated with both external and internal factors.
As for the internal causes of circulatory disorders, this phenomenon most often occurs with the development of thrombosis, varicose veins and diabetes mellitus. All these diseases require urgent treatment.
In addition, disorders of the digestive system often lead to darkening of the nail plate on the big toe.
This may include frequent constipation, gastritis, pancreatitis, etc. It should also be noted that blackening of the nails may be associated with a lack of iron in the body, which causes oxygen starvation of the cells.
There are not many non-pathological causes of darkening of the nail on the big toe. Most often, this defect is caused by injury to the nail plate. It can occur under any circumstances, for example, when hitting a hard object or having it fall on your finger, wearing shoes with tight toes, or damaging the nail while trimming it.
When there is a blow to a hard surface or a heavy object falls on the finger, hemorrhage occurs under the nail plate
When an impact occurs on a hard surface or a heavy object falls on the finger, hemorrhage occurs under the nail plate, which is visible as a dark spot on the surface of the nail. This is accumulated blood. To remove it, you will need to either wait until the nail grows or falls off on its own, which happens quite often, or seek help from a doctor who will pierce the nail plate or remove it if circumstances require it.
Bleeding under the nail can also occur when performing a pedicure using sharp instruments. If a person’s pain threshold is high, then he may not even notice how the injury was caused. It should be noted that in this case you cannot delay going to the doctor, since there is a possibility of the development of purulent processes. After all, the instruments used may not be properly disinfected before the procedure, and as a result of pricking, the infection could penetrate under the nail.
In addition, speaking about why the nail plate on the toe may darken, one cannot help but mention the appearance of this defect as a result of the use of cheap dark varnishes. Even one time using them is enough to color the nail plate.
Also, the appearance of the nail can change as a result of the use of medicinal herbs, which are used to apply lotions, for example, for an ingrown nail, or for medicinal baths.
In addition, speaking about why the nail plate on the toe may darken, one cannot help but mention the appearance of this defect as a result of the use of cheap dark varnishes
In any case, if you notice that your big toe nail has turned black and you see no obvious reason for this, then you should seek help from a doctor. Moreover, the sooner you do this, the better for you. Indeed, often such a symptom indicates the development of a benign tumor of the nail, which requires urgent surgical intervention.
If the toenail turns black due to a bruise or is caused by other external factors, then the defect is easy to eliminate. A person can wait several months for the nail to grow back. If desired, you can seek help from a surgeon.
The doctor will suggest undergoing laser therapy, and then removing the entire nail or piercing it to relieve pressure. The procedure involves piercing the nail plate with a sterile hot needle, and blood flows out of the indentation.
Within a month, the toenail dies off and a new one grows in its place. Piercing is a painless and safe procedure. The entire nail plate is removed under local anesthesia.
If the nail is not removed, it can interfere with the growth of a new, whole plate. It is also possible for both nails to grow together, which will lead to complications. If necessary, the doctor will prescribe medications to relieve pain and promote healing. It is recommended to include a wide range of calcium-containing foods on your menu.
If the cause of the spots under the nails lies in other diseases, then therapy will depend on each specific case. In addition to removing the nail, you will have to undergo a course of treatment. Only eliminating the cause will lead to a solution to the nail problem.
To effectively eliminate fungi, it is recommended to use antimycotic ointments or creams
To effectively eliminate fungi, it is recommended to use antimycotic ointments or creams. These include Exoderil and Nizoral. In addition, it is recommended to take antifungal drugs orally: Ketoconazole, Fluconazole, Terbinafine tablets (mostly azole group tablets are prescribed).
At the initial stages of the appearance of fungus, protective nail polishes help: “Loceril”, “Batrafen” or you can use “Oflomil”. But these remedies are powerless when the fungus has affected most of the nail plate.
If the nail on the big toe has turned black and the cause is not various diseases of the internal organs, then traditional medicine methods can help. They are very effective in recovering from injuries. Even in cases where the toenail has turned black and may come off the finger, folk recipes will be useful.
If the nails on the big toes have darkened due to fungi, then the disease can be treated with complex treatment. But you should use traditional recipes after consulting a doctor. They should be combined with traditional medicine, not replacing it. The most effective method is iodine treatment. The diseased nail is lubricated twice a day with iodine solution. After some time, the pain will go away.
Foot baths help in treatment. You can add vinegar, potassium permanganate or essential oils to the water. Tea tree oil shows the best results. Copper sulfate. Birch tar. Black spots on the nails should be lubricated with Kalanchoe juice or eucalyptus tincture.
Therapeutic baths - they are used if the nail turns black and begins to hurt. To prepare an effective remedy, you can take medicinal herbs, essential oils, and sea salt. Into the finished bath
Foot baths help in treatment
They dip not only the fingers that have turned black, but also the entire foot. This helps improve the condition of nails and skin.
Masks are applied to most toes simply for strengthening purposes. For their preparation, glycerin and fatty base oils (apricot, coconut, grape seeds) are used.
Compresses - if the nails on the big toes have darkened due to injury, this method will help get rid of the hematoma as quickly as possible and relieve inflammation. Most often, aloe, honey, potatoes, and white cabbage are used for this.
The following simple preventive measures will help reduce the likelihood of darkening of your toenails:
Therefore, when symptoms appear, you cannot hesitate. If the blackening does not go away within 2-3 days, and there is no reason to think that it was caused by a severe bruise, then you need to immediately visit a doctor.
If symptoms appear, do not hesitate - consult a doctor!
Black nails indicate that there is a hemorrhage under the nail plate. Brown spots on the nails can indicate not only a possible bruise or injury, but also serious problems in the functioning of the body. Don't ignore a black spot on your nail. Be sure to consult a doctor to find out the cause of the pathology.