Question 1

why is my toe nail is blue? my big toe nail turned blue for no reason, it looks bruised but i never dropped any thing on it. it looks like a blood cloth under my nail. this has happned to my sister and her toe nail fell off. maybe we share the same shoes

Accepted Answer

THANK : Thank you for providing a photograph!  when dealing with such issues, it's tremendously helpful.

If your toenail turned blue suddenly (not slowly over the course of weeks or months), based on the picture, i would agree with you that it is blood trapped under the nail plate.

Our nails pick up their color from the underlying skin.  If you squeeze the end of your finger to blanch the skin white, you'll also notice the nail appears white as well because the color of the nail is reflective of the color of whatever is underneath the nail.

What probably happened was you broke a tiny little blood vessel and the blood had nowhere to go, so it accumulated under the nail plate and that's where it will stay until it slowly grows out with the nail over time.  If this is the first time something like this has happened, i wouldn't be alarmed or pursue it unless it becomes painful or doesn't grow out with the nail over time.

If this is a recurrent phenomenon, it would be prudent to determine just why your capillaries under the nail are so fragile as to break (unless you can recall some sort of trauma).  You're allowed this one time event without further work-up, though.

If you decide to paint your nails to cover it up (which is ok to do), it's important to remove the nail polish every couple of weeks and see what's going on down there.

Hope this helps!

Question 2

i cut the nail "to close" on my big toe and it hurts when i wear my shoes. what would you recommend?

Accepted Answer

Soap and water: Keep the toe clean with soap and water and then dry thoroughly.  Apply some antibiotic ointment and a band-aid.  Observe closely for infection.  If painful enough, try some ibuprofen.  If red, streaking, pus or hot, you may need to see a doctor.

Question 3

i had both my big toe nails removed a week ago today i still have pain swelling and throbbing with some discharge and still can't put on any shoes?

Accepted Answer

INFECTION?: A permanent removal? With a chemical? With such limited information, the first sign of infection is a lot of pain. Why are you not contacting your doctor?

Question 4

i walked a lot in cali last month & my big toe rubbed against my shoe. i have a bruise under my nail & it hasn't gone away after a month. what is it?

Accepted Answer

Heat may Help.: These things are called sub-ungual hematomas. The trapped blood will need time to either dissolve or resorb away. The pain is generally due to the increased pressure on the nail bed by the excessive blood being trapped there. In extreme cases, the blood can be removed to alleviate the pressure and decrease the pain. On rare occasions, the excessive walking can cause damage to the toe bone.

Question 5

my big toe hurts really bad if i bump the tip of the nail or even if my shoe or sock presses against it to tight.

Accepted Answer

Ingrown Nail: It sounds like you have the beginnings of an ingrown toenail--see a foot specialist soon, and they will help you get rid of it before it becomes infected. They will  also be able to help you prevent a recurrence.

Question 6

big toe pain but mainly when i dont have shoes on. dont recall bumping it. am a runner but cam still run without too much pain. barefoot kills me though. especially towards tip and underneath. not my nail. what could this be and hw to treat??

Accepted Answer

Sesamoiditis: This is a common ailment causing pain under the big toe. See a podiatrist or orthopedist.

Question 7

broke big toe on 8/12. detached toenail. skin is falling off in sheets from all toes on the foot. no cast. walking boot,now surgical shoe. why?

Accepted Answer

Quit Sloughing off.: Skin sloughing, particularly after a period of immobilization and departure from one's daily bathing routine, is almost a given when the immobilization and swelling end. Layers of dead skin cells that are normally sloughed during one's daily routine have piled up and are revealed as these skin "sheets". One can only imagine how much skin is shedded daily by your body daily.

Question 8

how long does it take for a bruse under the big toe nail take to heal?

Accepted Answer

It varies: The resolution of a bruise under the toenail is dependent on many factors, i.e. Circulation, skin or nail integrity or disease, environment, shoes, continued pressure, etc.  If the color, quality, sensation or size increases you should see a podiatrist to be sure of the diagnosis.

Question 9

i have a wart growing under my big toe nail?

Accepted Answer

Wart: If the wart is at the front edge of the nail then topical chemical applications may be effective.  If the wart is too far under the nail then partial removal of the nail may be necessary to be able to remove the wart.

Question 10

dark blood under big toe nail, any idea/concern?

Accepted Answer

Depends on the cause: If you injured the toe it will generally grow out in time. If there was no injury you should have it examined to be sure it is not a lesion under the nail which would need attention.

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Doctor answers about:

Pain under big toe nail with shoes

A member asked:

Why is my toe nail is blue? my big toe nail turned blue for no reason, it looks bruised but i never dropped any thing on it. it looks like a blood cloth under my nail. this has happned to my sister and her toe nail fell off. maybe we share the same shoes

A member asked:

I cut the nail "to close" on my big toe and it hurts when i wear my shoes. what would you recommend?

A member asked:

I had both my big toe nails removed a week ago today i still have pain swelling and throbbing with some discharge and still can't put on any shoes?

A member asked:

I walked a lot in cali last month & my big toe rubbed against my shoe. i have a bruise under my nail & it hasn't gone away after a month. what is it?

A member asked:

My big toe hurts really bad if i bump the tip of the nail or even if my shoe or sock presses against it to tight.

A member asked:

Big toe pain but mainly when i dont have shoes on. dont recall bumping it. am a runner but cam still run without too much pain. barefoot kills me though. especially towards tip and underneath. not my nail. what could this be and hw to treat??

A member asked:

Broke big toe on 8/12. detached toenail. skin is falling off in sheets from all toes on the foot. no cast. walking boot,now surgical shoe. why?

A member asked:

How long does it take for a bruse under the big toe nail take to heal?

A member asked:

I have a wart growing under my big toe nail?

A member asked:

Dark blood under big toe nail, any idea/concern?

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