Internal Heat Effects and How to Overcome Them
Black toenails occur when blood clots under the nail. This condition can be caused by many things, ranging from injury to side effects of certain medications. To overcome this, there are several treatments you can do.
Black toenails are not always dangerous and can sometimes disappear by themselves. In addition to discoloration, black toenails may cause symptoms of pain, split nails, discharge, and swelling, depending on the underlying cause.

Black Toenails and Their Causes
The following are some of the causes of black toenails and other symptoms that may accompany them:
1. Injury
The most common cause of black toenails is injury. The injury can cause bleeding under the toenail due to rupture of blood vessels in the area. In medical terms, this condition is also called subungual hematoma.
Aside from discoloration of the nails, this condition is usually accompanied by swelling and severe pain in the toes.
2. Infection
Infection bacteria or fungus that attacks the nail area feet can cause black toenails. This condition usually begins with the appearance of white or yellow spots on the tips of the toenails before eventually appearing darker or black.
In addition , fungal infections that attack toenails can also cause toenails to become thick, brittle and smell bad. This condition can happen to anyone, but it is more common in people who have weak immune systems.
3. Nail melanoma
Melanoma of the nail (subungual melanoma) is skin cancer that occurs under the nails. This condition is generally characterized by the appearance of dark vertical lines visible on the toenails. This type of skin cancer is dangerous and relatively rare.
Unlike other skin cancers which start on the surface of the skin, subungual melanoma attacks the cells that produce melanin, namely melanocytes. Therefore, melanin production increases so that the toenails appear darker and blacker.
4. Ingrown toenails (ingrown toenails)
Ingrown toenail is the growth of the tip of the nail into the surrounding skin. If left untreated, ingrown toenails can trigger bacterial infections which ultimately make the toenails turn a darker color. Ingrown toenails are usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as swelling, pain and redness.
5. Chemotherapy
Another cause of black toenails is the side effect of drugs, especially those taken long term, such as chemotherapy. Color changes in toenails usually appear 1–2 months after undergoing chemotherapy.
Chemotherapy can affect melanocytes and trigger hyperpigmentation
span> around the nails. This process can cause the color of the toenails to change to black.Apart from these various causes, there are several other risk factors that make a person more susceptible to black toenails, namely diabetes sufferers,
span>psoriasis, kidney disease, and anemia.Black Toenails and Treatment
Not all black toenails require treatment . If it is not accompanied by pain and the black color does not exceed half of the nail, this condition is generally not dangerous and can disappear by itself in some time.
However, if black toenails are accompanied by symptoms that point to one of the conditions above, you should see a doctor. The doctor will provide treatment according to the cause and severity
If black toenails are accompanied by pain, the doctor can prescribe pain relievers, such as paracetamol . Topical medications, such as ciclopirox, tavaborole, and efinaconazole, may also be prescribed if black toenails are caused by a fungal infection.
To relieve discomfort in your toenails, you can also apply the following care steps:
- Compress the toenails with cold water to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
- Position your feet higher than your chest when resting or sleeping to reduce swelling and improve blood flow to the affected toenail area.
- Get enough rest to speed up the healing process.
Apart from taking the medicines and treatments above, the doctor may also perform a procedure to make a hole in the nail so that the blood trapped inside can come out. This procedure uses a special sharp tool to pierce the nails.
That's the cause of black toenails and how to treat them. If the discoloration of your toenails has spread to the skin around the nail and there is a lump under the nail, you should not delay seeing a doctor . You should also consult a doctor if you suffer from diabetes or blood vessel disease.
Label : Health
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