Why is it dark underneath my toenail?
If your toenail turns black, it’s most likely a bruise under the nail, technically called a subungual hematoma. You can get it from stubbing a toe or from footwear that cram your feet into the front of the shoe.
What does melanoma look like under the toenail?
Subungual melanoma often starts as a brown or black streak under a toenail or fingernail. A person may mistake it for a bruise. The main symptoms of subungual melanoma include: brown or black streaks in the nail without any known injury.
Why are my nails getting dark lines?
Melanonychia is caused when the pigment cells, called melanocytes, deposit melanin — brown-colored pigment — into the nail. These deposits are usually grouped together. As your nail grows, it causes the stripe of brown or black to appear on your nail.
How do you get rid of black under your toenails?
Over-the-counter ointments, creams, and polishes are usually effective. Severe cases may require a prescription antifungal treatment. If a black toenail is caused by an injury, the resulting spot from broken blood vessels will disappear once your nail grows out.
What does it mean when there is a brown line on your nail?
Brown-black nail lines may represent blood from trauma; bacterial, fungal, or viral infection; drug reaction; endocrine disorders; exogenous pigmentation; excess melanin production within the nail matrix; nevi; or melanoma.
Why do I have a brown line on my toenail?
How do you get rid of black lines on your toenails?
For black lines or splinter hemorrhage caused due to an injury or nail trauma, it may take up to days or months to heal. If this is accompanied by pain and inflammation, apply an ice pack or cold compress on the affected area and consult your doctor if this prolongs.
Can toenail fungus look black?
Nail fungus can cause the nail to become thick or ragged and appear yellow, green, brown or black. An infected nail may separate from the nail bed. Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail.
How do you know if you caught melanoma early?
Although the American Cancer Society does not have guidelines for the early detection of skin cancer, knowing your own skin is important to finding skin cancer early. You should know the pattern of moles, blemishes, freckles, and other marks on your skin so that you’ll notice any new moles or changes in existing moles.
Will black line on nail go away?
Splinter hemorrhage Splinter hemorrhages appear as small black or deep-red lines and are caused by injuries to the small blood vessels under the nail beds. They usually heal on their own within a few days.
What is the black line on my toenail?
Black line on the nail. A narrow black line that has formed vertically underneath your nail is called a splinter hemorrhage. It occurs for a variety of reasons and may be harmless or a sign of a more serious health condition.
Can a black toenail from trauma extend to the lateral nail folds?
A black toenail from trauma doesn’t usually extend to the lateral nail folds and usually goes away without treatment as the nail grows. The takeaway is, if there is any question, seek the advice of a dermatologist. William Morrison, MD Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts.
Is the light brown line on my Big toenail melanoma?
Big Toenail Has Vertical Light Brown Line: Melanoma? Yes, the light brown vertical line on your big toenail CAN be melanoma, says a dermatologist. So let’s say that you just noticed a light brown vertical line on your big toenail (or any nail, for that matter).
What does it mean when there is a line under your nail?
It appears on one or more places under your nail. Thicker lines that create a horizontal stripe on the nail are called Beau’s lines. These are usually not harmful, but they may be a symptom of a cancer called subungual melanoma. What are the causes of a black line on the nail?