What does it mean when you have a dark spot on your toenail?
Melanoma: This is the most serious type of skin cancer, which often appears as a dark brown misshapen spot. Such spots can also occur underneath nail beds. Trauma: Usually caused by an injury, trauma to the toenail can cause the blood vessels beneath a nail to break.
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.
What should I do if my toenail is purple?
It’s particularly important to visit your podiatrist if your nail has turned purple or black, and you don’t remember injuring it. In many cases, you may simply need an anti-fungal medication to treat a fungal infection, but it’s always a good idea to rule out more serious disease and conditions, such as cancer.
Why is my toenail purple?
Black or purple toenails If one or more of your nails appears blackened or purplish in color, this was probably due to trauma or some other type of micro-injury causing bleeding under your nail. Stubbing your toe, running long distances, wearing tight shoes, or even shoes that are too big can cause these nail changes.
Why is my nail purple?
Blue fingernails are caused by a low level or lack of oxygen circulating in your red blood cells. This condition is known as cyanosis. It occurs when there isn’t enough oxygen in your blood, making the skin or membrane below the skin turn a purplish-blue color.
How can you tell the difference between a melanoma and a bruised toenail?
Mistaken for a bruise Many people first mistake subungual melanoma as a bruise. However, unlike a bruise, the streaks from subungual melanoma do not heal or grow out with the nail over time. It can also be confused with normal pigmentation of the nail bed or a fungal infection.
What does melanoma on toe look like?
Aside from looking like a changing mole, a melanoma on the foot can appear as a: Brown or black vertical line under a toenail. Pinkish-red spot or growth. New spot or growth where you injured your foot.
What causes a purple toe?
Not getting enough blood damages cells and the tissues they make up. This can cause the tissue to change color — usually blue or purple. When this happens to the toes, doctors call it blue toe syndrome.
What causes purple toe syndrome?
Purple toe syndrome is a rare complication of warfarin therapy. It occurs usually after 3 to 8 weeks of therapy and it is caused by cholesterol emboli from atheromatous plaque. Sudden onset of pain in affected area, typically in toes and feet, is the main characteristic of the syndrome.
Is blue toe syndrome an emergency?
Blue toes on their own are not a medical emergency, but if you have the classic symptoms of Blue Toe Syndrome e.g. your toes turn blue suddenly for no obvious reason and are extremely painful, there is a good chance the blood flow to the foot may be affected which would require immediate medical attention.
Should I worry if my nails are purple?
Therefore, a person with blue nails should speak with a doctor to determine the underlying cause. In some cases, fingernails turn blue or purplish because of cyanosis, which can also affect the lips and skin.
Why is my big toenail purple?
If you’ve recently dropped something on your foot or stubbed your toe on something, your nail discoloration could be a symptom of a subungual hematoma. This injury can also result from wearing shoes that are too tight. Subungual hematomas can make your nail appear red or purple.