Is black toenail fungus or trauma?

Black toenails can result from a trauma, a fungal infection, or pigmentation changes over time. More serious causes include heart disease or melanoma. Changing shoes may resolve it, but some people may need medical treatment.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

How do you tell the difference between nail fungus and nail trauma?

The best way to tell the difference between nail trauma and a fungal infection is to keep an eye on the marks for a while. Marks from a nail injury will eventually fade or grow out as the nail does. Spots and streaks from a fungal infection, however, will gradually change shape and grow.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on patelpodiatry.com

Is a black toenail a bruise or fungus?

Bruised toenails tend to be darker in color than fungal toenails. While fungal infections tend to be yellow to medium brown, bruised toenails tend to be red or purplish before becoming dark brown, or sometimes even black.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on sierrafootankle.com

Can toenail trauma look like fungus?

The body responds to trauma in a typical way. It attempts to protect itself and so it creates layers upon layers of nail. Therefore, the nail becomes thicker. Often, the nail appearance can mistaken for a fungal infection.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on walkonpodiatry.com.au

What does a traumatized toenail look like?

A subungual hematoma is usually caused by trauma from dropping something heavy on your foot or from frequent rubbing or friction against a shoe. It occurs when the blood vessels break open under the nail, causing blood to pool. Your toenail may look like a black, blue or purple bruise.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on bannerhealth.com

Is It Toenail Fungus, Trauma, or Something Else?

28 related questions found

How do you know if you have nail trauma?

Symptoms. A subungual hematoma appears dark red under the nail. The finger or toe is painful and may throb. Other nail trauma also may be painful, and the nail can split, crack, or lift away from the nail bed.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on health.harvard.edu

What can be mistaken for toenail fungus?

Several health conditions can affect the appearance of your toenails and may be mistaken for toenail fungus. Psoriasis Psoriasis can cause red, scaly patches on the skin. More than half of people with skin psoriasis also have it on their nails.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on everydayhealth.com

What does very beginning of toenail fungus look like?

It begins as a white or yellow-brown spot under the tip of your fingernail or toenail. As the fungal infection goes deeper, the nail may discolor, thicken and crumble at the edge. Nail fungus can affect several nails. If your condition is mild and not bothering you, you may not need treatment.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on mayoclinic.org

Should I be worried about a black toenail?

Black toenails can be caused by underlying medical conditions. Apparently unrelated conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and anemia, can also cause discolored toenails. So don't ignore any discolored toenail that doesn't disappear on its own, and relatively promptly.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on footankleinstitute.com

Why is my toenail black without injury?

Black Toenail: Common Causes

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.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on webmd.com

Can fungus on toes be black?

Signs of a toenail fungal infection

Nails can be brown, black, white, or yellow. Usually a small area changes color at first and it slowly spreads.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on buoyhealth.com

When should I worry about a bruised toenail?

It is especially important to see a doctor for the following: You had blunt trauma to the toenail, such as a heavy object dropped on the toe, which may also include a broken toe bone that needs treatment or a cut that needs stitches. There is severe swelling, pain, or redness of the toe.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on verywellhealth.com

How do you fix a trauma toenail?

At-Home: Use the R.I.C.E method for at-home treatment of this condition:
  1. Rest: Limit the use of your toe.
  2. Ice: Ice the area to reduce pain and swelling.
  3. Compression: Apply a wrap to the area to reduce blood flow and limit pain.
  4. Elevation: Keep your foot elevated to reduce swelling.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on footandanklegroup.com

What are the stages of toenail fungus?

There are three main types of toenail fungus that are caused by different infecting agents.
  • Subungual Onychomycosis. ...
  • White Superficial Onychomycosis. ...
  • Candida Onychomycosis. ...
  • Early Stage Toenail Fungus. ...
  • Moderate Stage Toenail Fungus. ...
  • Later Stage Toenail Fungus.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on rockymtnfootandankle.com

Why do I suddenly have toenail fungus?

You can get it if your nails are frequently moist or you often wear sweaty socks and shoes. The fungi usually infect a nail by getting into a: Small cut in the skin surrounding your nail. Crack in your nail.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aad.org

What are 3 signs of a fungal nail infection?

Signs and symptoms of a fungal nail infection
  • discolouration of the nail – it may turn white, black, yellow or green.
  • thickening and distortion of the nail – it may become an unusual shape or texture and be difficult to trim.
  • pain or discomfort – particularly when using or placing pressure on the affected toe or finger.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on nhsinform.scot

Is toenail discoloration always fungus?

The most frequent reason for discolored toenails is nail fungus, which is challenging to treat but rarely a serious source of discomfort. Aside from injuries, most conditions that cause toenails to change color may require treatment from a doctor.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

What does Stage 1 nail melanoma look like?

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.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

What does a black mark on your nail mean?

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. If a person has multiple splinter hemorrhages across several different nails, it could indicate an underlying condition.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

How do I know if my toenail is black or melanoma?

When checking your nails for melanoma, dermatologists recommend looking for the following changes: A dark streak. This may look like a brown or black band in the nail — often on the thumb or big toe of your dominant hand or foot. However, this dark streak can show up on any nail.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aad.org

Will black toenail go back to normal?

In mild cases, the black toenail will grow out naturally over time without treatment. In severe cases, such as when the nail begins to detach from the nail bed, a person should seek medical treatment.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com

Will a black toenail go away?

Black toenails will typically go away on their own, but it can take several months. The condition will diminish once new tissue grows completely under the toenail itself. There are several ways to prevent a black toenail from happening in the first place.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on gwapodiatry.com

How long does nail stay black after injury?

The trapped blood will eventually be reabsorbed, and the dark mark will disappear. This can take 2–3 months for a fingernail, and up to 9 months for a toenail. If there is severe damage to the nail bed, the nail may be malformed or cracked when it grows back.

Takedown request   |   View complete answer on medicalnewstoday.com