What is this?

[tabbysia]

I am asking a question for myself, not my cats. They are thankfully fine for the moment. I have had this black spot under my toenail for quite some time, and I really didn't think too much of it, until I started doing some research on the Internet (bad idea). I found it that it could be something called sublungal (sp?) melanoma, in other words--cancer. I know that you are not doctors and can not diagnose, but I'm just asking, have any of you had a similar problem like this with your toenail or do you know someone who has? Did it go away on its own? Did it turn out to be something not serious? It is important to note that I don't recall doing anything to my toe that would cause a bruise under the nail. I have stubbed my toe before, but not recently. I took some pictures of it, but they're not that great. The room is kind of dark.

 

[Katie M]

Does it hurt if you press on it? It might just be a bruise. I know you haven't stubbed it recently, but I randomly bruise in the craziest places.

I hope it's nothing serious

 

[tabbysia]

Nope, it doesn't hurt at all. I hope it's nothing serious too!

 

[klunick]

Does it hurt if you press on it? It might just be a bruise. I know you haven't stubbed it recently, but I randomly bruise in the craziest places.

I hope it's nothing serious

I second the bruise diagnosis

 

[di and bob]

So do I. I get bruises and have no idea where they come from, though sometimes I remember getting hurt and thinking "that's going to bruise"! It almost HAS to be a bruise from LONG ago, because if you look close at the base, right under the bruise, you can see the nail growing out. It can take many months for a under nail bruise to get grown out. It happened quite a while ago, so you don't remember. I had one for I swear almost a year.

 

[cassiopea]

As a ballerina who wears pointe shoes, I'm pretty confident that is a bruise!

Long toenails in particular can cause bruising (That is why I keep my toenails very short for pointe - Otherwise it's bruise city. Granted even if I didn't do ballet I would still keep them short) so even if you haven't banged your foot initially, even something as simple as walking/jogging or wearing poorly-fitted shoes can cause bruising. Or getting it caught in something. Long nails are also more prone to yeast and bacteria development.


Love seeing the little peek of the sleepy kitty in the background <3

 

[Jem]

I would say it's either a fungus infection or bruising. Some fungus infections do show as bluish...they aren't always just yellow, and they don't necessarily hurt.
When did you first notice it? Did it used to be closer or touching the base of the nail / cuticle? I ask because you have clear colored nail between the colored part and your cuticle. If the coloring used to sit higher up, close to the base of the nail and you're seeing it "growing out", it's probably just a bruise.
I haven't done the research but I would assume that cancer wouldn't "grow out" and would be in the actual nail bed (on the skin under the nail)
Maybe start measuring if the "clear part" of the nail keeps getting bigger, which would indicate that it is growing out, and in the nail itself.
If it doesn't grow out...go see a doc. And don't forget, toe nail injuries do take time to grow out, so be patient. But if you're worried, of course a doc is the best course of action.

 

[tabbysia]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I do feel a little better thinking it could be a bruise. Yes, I do have long, gnarly toenails, especially that particular toe. It is because that nail is so thick and hard to cut! I am clumsy and always running into things, but the last time I remember stubbing that toe was several months ago when I ran into a little table in the hallway. This was a long time ago (pre pandemic--probably early March), and I don't remember a bruise forming after I did it. Maybe it could have formed later? I noticed it about three months ago. It started as a little reddish purplish spot and then turned into a larger black spot as seen in the picture. I am still a little worried, but since I have no insurance and lost my job, I am hesitant to go to a doctor unless I am reasonably certain it could be something serious.

 

[tabbysia]

As a ballerina who wears pointe shoes, I'm pretty confident that is a bruise!

Long toenails in particular can cause bruising (That is why I keep my toenails very short for pointe - Otherwise it's bruise city. Granted even if I didn't do ballet I would still keep them short) so even if you haven't banged your foot initially, even something as simple as walking/jogging or wearing poorly-fitted shoes can cause bruising. Or getting it caught in something. Long nails are also more prone to yeast and bacteria development.


Love seeing the little peek of the sleepy kitty in the background <3

Good eye! I didn't notice she was in the picture until you mentioned it. I guess you noticed I had a little clutter on the bed at the time too. Oops!

 

[tabbysia]

I would say it's either a fungus infection or bruising. Some fungus infections do show as bluish...they aren't always just yellow, and they don't necessarily hurt.
When did you first notice it? Did it used to be closer or touching the base of the nail / cuticle? I ask because you have clear colored nail between the colored part and your cuticle. If the coloring used to sit higher up, close to the base of the nail and you're seeing it "growing out", it's probably just a bruise.
I haven't done the research but I would assume that cancer wouldn't "grow out" and would be in the actual nail bed (on the skin under the nail)
Maybe start measuring if the "clear part" of the nail keeps getting bigger, which would indicate that it is growing out, and in the nail itself.
If it doesn't grow out...go see a doc. And don't forget, toe nail injuries do take time to grow out, so be patient. But if you're worried, of course a doc is the best course of action.

I think that the spot used to be right at the base of the nail, but I don't remember for sure.

 

[bikeman]

< Gross Alert >

If you dig under there, does black stuff ooze out? I'm having that now with my big toe, and if I dig under there, get the black stuff out, and then use tea tree oil on and under the nail, it seems to look and feel better. There is no pain. Problem is, that almost every other day, it comes back and I have to repeat.

 

[tabbysia]

< Gross Alert >

If you dig under there, does black stuff ooze out? I'm having that now with my big toe, and if I dig under there, get the black stuff out, and then use tea tree oil on and under the nail, it seems to look and feel better. There is no pain. Problem is, that almost every other day, it comes back and I have to repeat.

Hmm...that's weird. If stuff is coming out and then keeps coming back, maybe it's an infection of some kind? I haven't tried digging under my nail yet. I hadn't thought of it. I'm afraid if I start poking around in there, I'll get it infected for sure.

 

[bikeman]

Seeing doctor about my blackened big to Wednesday morning. I'll report back on what it looks like to her. But today, I dug out more black stuff, which seems to come back every two days. Doing that, and soaking with tea tree oil over the last week and a half, have done nothing to keep it at bay, thus the doctor's app't.

 

[maggie101]

Yes, see a doctor. I have or had a minor problem that got worse trying to fix it myself. Now I need to have surgery- in out

 

[mani]

The colour is also on the white part of the nail, above the nail bed, so it's in the nail itself, not the skin under it.
It's an old bruise or something that has dyed the nail. It will just grow out.

 

[bikeman]

The colour is also on the white part of the nail, above the nail bed, so it's in the nail itself, not the skin under it.
It's an old bruise or something that has dyed the nail. It will just grow out.

Mine looked just like that, above on the OP, but worse. If you Google "toe nail cancer," those pics are what mine looks like. It isn't a nail color, it is necrosis under the nail, and something is eating the tissue and killing it, continuously. That's why I'm having it looked at, in one hour.

Tabbysia should have a doctor look at the nail also.

 

[mani]

I'm really sorry about your nail B bikeman but this is different... If you look at the nail bed, there is no grey colour between the hyponychium (quick of the nail bed) and the grey colouring, which is curved like the shape of the nail. And there is grey colouring where the nail is not attached to the toe at all... the colour is in the nail and is growing with it. I've had so many bruised toes and watched the colour grow out, just like this.

 

[bikeman]

Back from the doctor. She cut most of the nail off to get a better look. There is/was a lession in the tissue under the nail that either ruptured or is in the state of rupturing, and causing dried blood and dead cells to build up. It was messed up and had nothing to do with the nail itself, which is gone now. Tissue necrosis, essentially as a result. As to what is the underlying (pun, sort of) cause to all of this she was unsure, but didn't mention cancer, which I'm glad about. I am to keep the area and cut-away top of the toe clean and apply topical antibiotic daily and keep the toe from touching anything but the bottom of a loose bandage for a week or two. Followup visit if needed. Hurts more now than it did before.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

I'm really sorry about your nail B bikeman but this is different... If you look at the nail bed, there is no grey colour between the hyponychium (quick of the nail bed) and the grey colouring, which is curved like the shape of the nail. And there is grey colouring where the nail is not attached to the toe at all... the colour is in the nail and is growing with it. I've had so many bruised toes and watched the colour grow out, just like this.

In my younger and stupid days I would wear open toe shoes as only comfortable shoes to wear. But if I bruised a toe or toenail I had to make absolutely certain I had matching shoes and other clothing that matched. Yea I was kind of (ahem different) lol