My toenails are gradually turning black and thick with some growth of what looks like dead skin on the sides. I stopped wearing tight shoes but in vain. Applying nail polish just makes it worse because I feel mild pain under the nails. When I remove the nail polish, I find when my nail has separated from the flesh as if it is about pop out. What could be the cause and what can I do to make my toe nail white again?
— Disturbed Dorothy
Dear Dorothy: Much as you are scared of the cosmetic effects of your nails, the colour, thickness, and shape of one’s nails may show the health status of a person. Apart from diseases, nails can be a window to one’s inner health with changes indicating anaemia, kidney, thyroid or even liver diseases, among others.
Nails gradually turning black usually happens among people who are on medication such as anti-retrovirals. If the drugs are effective, darkening is not a serious reason to change them.
Nails growing into the flesh are called ingrown toe nails. They affect mainly the big toes! Many times there is a thick growth on the undermined side with toes looking like a head of a snake. Eventually the nails may require trimming but not the cuticle. Wearing ill-fitting shoes, high heels, and wrong cutting of nails trying to remove the side parts instead of across the nails can also be the source.
Nails separating from the flesh, or detachment of a nail from its bed (onycholysis), can result from fungal infection psoriasis. It can also be a reaction to detergents, thyroid disease, injuries or excessive manicuring.
A manicurist will cover your nails and hide symptoms of diseases but a doctor will diagnose and give treatment.
About black toenail
If you have a black toe or black toenail then it is understandable that you might be alarmed and want to get to the bottom of what is causing the discolouration. However there is not just one cause of a black toenail but several which can make it quite difficult to identify the problem and to treat/avoid it.
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