5 Culprits of Black Toe Nails

It’s common for runner, but still avoidable.

Lots of runners are familiar with black toe nails condition. Mostly met by marathoner or ultra-runner, this condition is characterized by the color change on your toe nails into bruised or black discoloration. However, not every black toe nails started by running. Here are some other reasons.  

Repetitive Trauma

It’s the most common origin of black toe nails on runner. This replicative trauma can be created from friction or replicated hits between nail and inner part of shoes. Usually happens by wrong choice of shoes, for example, smaller or bigger shoes size, or too narrow toe box. If you experience nail discoloration after running on those conditions, trauma replication is to be expected as the origin.  

The scale of color discoloration can be mild (small area, no pain, bluish black under the nail), to severe (wide area, painful, even bleeding on between flesh and nail). On severe case, this condition can lead to nail detachment –partially or entirely – from the nail plate. According to podiatrist Lori Weisenfeld, D.P.M., if it is partially detachment, the process will be hurtful.  

Once the entire nail detached, it will be a dead nail and cannot be re-bridged. The good point is you will not feel hurt anymore. But the downside is you need a long time for growing a new nail –around three to six months for small toe and a year for big toe. On certain cases, new nail can grow up under the dead one. If during nail growing period you encounter another replicative trauma, the new nail will be scratched and detached again. 

Also pay attention on skin around the nail. If there’s redness or inflammation, it can be the symptom of infection.  Visit your doctor for proper treatment.  

To refrain from black toe nail, make sure to wear the recommended shoes size –give a thumb-sized free space between your big toe and the tip of shoes. Jordan Metzl, M.D., a sports medicine physician, also recommends wearing thinner socks since a thick one will give over-pressure on your toes.  

Subungual Hematoma

Dropping heavy items on your feet can also cause a burst on blood vessels under nail plate and pooling blood under. This black toe nail condition is called subungual hematoma. It is mostly caused by accident, so a preventive concept is needed.  

Fungal Infections

Fungal infections can spread into toe nails and turn them into yellow, blue, green, brown, purple, and black color, depends on the fungal type, as said by Jacqueline Sutera, D.P.M., a podiatric surgeon. Differ from other black toe nail conditions, fungal infection usually coincides with foul-smelling.  

If you meet the symptoms, consult with your doctor. Treatment will be dependent on the infection level. Mild infection generally cured by topical drug.  

There are several ways to prevent fungal infection. For instance, keep your nail short, wearing shoes with good air-circulation, wearing footwear on public places such as gym locker, and not sharing shoes, socks or nail cutter with others.  

Skin Cancer

One of the most serious skin cancers, subungual melanoma, can be developed on the bottom part of nail plate and causing hyperpigmentation. This is a slow and painless process that often times tricks us. One of the most obvious sign is color change not only on your nail but also cuticle. It’s a rare case but consulting your doctor is recommended if your nail color slowly changing without any preceded trauma. 

Skin Tone

Skin under the nail has the same character as on other part of your body: Vulnerable to pigmentation. It means color-changing (blackened) is possible. What make it different are the natural essential characteristics, symmetrically arise, on more than one nail.  

Source: Runner’s World