When black stripes appear on the nails, it is necessary to determine the cause in order to eliminate the unpleasant defect. Nail plates on the fingers indicate that a person has health problems. It is worth thinking about your well-being and taking action. Do not try to disguise the defect with varnish. It is necessary to make an appointment with a doctor to determine the cause of the problem and begin treatment. Proper care of your appearance helps prevent the appearance of such defects, but if black stripes appear, then you made a mistake. Why stripes appear and how to get rid of them will be discussed in the article.
Why do black stripes appear on nails?
Look at your fingernails to make a diagnosis. Dark streaks appear suddenly. They differ in size, position and color intensity. Sometimes the stripes are pale and small, but sometimes they are pronounced. There is little good in this, so it is necessary to clarify the reason for the appearance in order to begin the fight.
Remember what you have done in the last few days. If there was an injury, the appearance of a black stripe is predictable. This is the simplest cause of the defect and is easy to establish. After a few days the problem disappears by itself.
If you wear uncomfortable and tight shoes, the appearance of dark stripes cannot be avoided. Your nails become damaged, causing the plate to become deformed. The condition of the nails depends on the work of the manicurist. He must cut the cuticle correctly and polish the plate without damage.
With age, the nail plate changes. The neat shape and color disappears because capillary atherosclerosis develops in an elderly person. Defects in old age cannot be avoided, so you need to regularly do manicures and take care of your hands.
How to whiten nails: the best remedies and recipes Reasons for yellow fingernails, read here
How to properly file your fingernails, see the link
With poor nutrition, the body begins to act up. It tries to tell the person that the diet is interfering with normal functioning. One of the alarm bells is dark stripes on the nails. During a diet, your body is deprived of nutrients and vitamins, so problems with the appearance of your hands cannot be avoided. If you return to a healthy diet, the body will compensate for the lack of microelements.
When a person has heart problems, the appearance of small black stripes along the edges of the nail plate is predictable. The cause is anemia, endocarditis and various infections. If you do not know about problems with the functioning of the heart muscle, and spots appear, be sure to consult a doctor. This symptom indicates poor bowel function.
During pregnancy, hormonal pathologies begin. Taking medications affects the functioning of the endocrine system, which is why dark stripes appear. In diabetes mellitus, this symptom is very common. If your back hurts frequently, check your spine. The tumor and hernia cause disturbances in the functioning of the spinal cord, and this leads to the appearance of stripes on the nails.
Monitor your health to prevent the development of diseases in time. Black stripes appear during the development of melanoma, a skin cancer. The fungus can also damage the plate. The infection is dangerous, it is easy to catch it even in a beauty salon during a manicure from a qualified specialist.
Long-term use of medications results in the appearance of dark stripes. Don't forget about the use of chemicals. They spoil the nail plate and damage it. For example, low-quality varnish or gel.
At the beginning of the article, the common causes of the unpleasant defect were announced. It does not look aesthetically pleasing, and also signals problems with the immune system. Check yourself against the list to determine the cause of the stripes. We recommend that you consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Lack of vitamins in the body
Also, the cause of such defects may be a lack of vitamins in the body. The diet of a person with black stripes under the nails should include foods that contain large quantities of vitamins A, C, and B. These vitamins are found in fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy products, and fish.
A similar problem can be caused by a lack of microelements. This diagnosis must be made by a doctor. And finally, unpleasant black stripes under the nails can appear if the nail plates are damaged.
In any case, if you have such defects on your nails, you should not self-medicate and delay going to the doctor. Since these stripes not only spoil the appearance of nails and hands, but can also indicate a number of different dangerous diseases.
Causes
When the color of the nail changes, you need to urgently sound the alarm. If there was no injury, then most likely your body lacks vitamins and other important substances, or a skin tumor is developing.
The spots can be in the form of purple, red dots, dark red, black stripes. Often the spots are blue. If red stripes appear under the nails, this is a hemorrhage; they will darken over time. The spots can be round, small, shapeless. First of all, you need to consult a dermatologist.
Dark, blackheads are not just a cosmetic defect that can be hidden with varnish, but a serious problem. When the nail changes after an injury, there is no need to worry: the plate will recover and the stain will disappear over time. Hyperpigmentation can also be considered a harmless cause.
More dangerous factors include:
- Problems in the stomach and intestines.
- Liver pathologies.
- Diseases of blood vessels, heart.
- Problems with blood circulation.
- Worms.
- Taking chemical medications.
- which develops under the nail.
Melanoma
Melanoma or squamous cell skin cancer is one of the most dangerous causes. But fortunately, this disease is rare.
It appears as a spot of an unusual shape from dark brown to black. The black skin under the nails looks like a long strip along the entire plate. As the tumor progresses, the brown or black streaks increase in size. Other symptoms may include darkening around the affected nail, splitting of the nail, burning, itching, and a feeling of fullness in the area of formation.
With melanoma, an extended black spot often forms under the nail of the big toes or fingers.
People with a hereditary predisposition, older people, and people who frequently expose their nails to ultraviolet radiation are more susceptible to developing a tumor.
How to remove black stripes from nails
We looked at the reasons for the appearance of grooves, so it’s worth figuring out how to get rid of them. Not only official treatment methods help, but also folk beauty recipes. In case of mechanical damage and lack of vitamins, it is not difficult to cure the nail plates. You need to take vitamin complexes and do cosmetic procedures. When the cause lies in a disease, it is necessary to begin treatment under the supervision of a doctor. After recovery, the black grooves will disappear on their own.
When streaks appear, then cracks and itching, your nails are infected with fungus. It is necessary to use antifungal drugs. Take plant extracts to fill your body with beneficial substances.
Let's look at ways to eliminate black bars. After injury to the nail plate, a black mark appears. For quick elimination, take baths with salt and lemon juice. Add sea salt and a spoonful of lemon juice to the water and dip your hands into the solution. The procedure lasts 30-40 minutes.
Try rubbing olive or orange oil into the plate to get rid of the streak. A solution of potassium permanganate helps eliminate the symptom. It should be used for a bath. Home treatments can help you remove blackheads quickly and safely.
Take vitamins to fill your body with useful components. Eat more fruits and vegetables that contain fatty acids. Don't forget to drink water throughout the day. Don't overeat junk food. Such lifestyle changes will have a positive effect on the immune system. Not only defects on the nails will disappear, but also other problems with appearance.
If black spots appear due to chemical products, stop using them. Replace polish and remover. Buy only high-quality products to avoid health problems. Never save on beauty and health, because cheap products consist of harmful components. After reading the article to the end, you will learn how to deal with dark spots at home.
Factors leading to black stripes in the nail area
Black or dark spots on the nails are not a purely cosmetic defect; you cannot ignore this problem and try to paint it over with varnish or file it off. If a red or black spot appears after an injury, then there is no need to worry. As the plate grows, the stain will also disappear. Among the harmless reasons is an increased level of pigmentation.
If the problem is systematic, then this may indicate a malfunction in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, cardiovascular system, the presence of worms, exposure to chemicals, or circulatory problems. The cause may be subungual fungus on the feet.
Ingrown toenails: photos and treatment
Ingrown nails are a common occurrence. Ingrowth of the outer or inner edge of the nail plate into the tissue of the lateral nail fold initially causes hyperemia, swelling of the periungual fold, moderate pain when walking, and then there may be pyogenic granuloma and complications such as paronychia, lymphangitis, erysipelas, phlegmon, osteomyelitis.
In non-advanced acute cases, conservative treatment methods consist of placing a swab (strip) of gauze soaked in 5-10% synthomycin emulsion or ointment under the edge of the nail
"Levomekol", "Levovinisol"
Vishnevsky ointment, Solcoseryl
Rivanol lotions and lubrication with Castellani liquid (fukortsin) are also considered effective.
Proper selection of shoes, hygiene, proper trimming, treatment of excessive sweating are mandatory measures for ingrown toenails and other pathologies of toenails.
Heliomycin ointment
Onychopathology, i.e. changes in the shape, transparency, composition, apparatus, and pigmentation of nails indicate metabolic disorders, diseases of internal organs, and are often signs of certain syndromes and genodermatoses.
How to take care of your nails
Every girl strives to look perfect, so you need to start caring for your nails. In the article we tell you how to deal with unpleasant defects at home, because salon procedures do not always give a positive result in a short period of time.
To prevent the plate from delaminating, control the length of your nails. Don't grow it too long to avoid splitting. File regularly to prevent problems in the first place.
Use cream or Vaseline to moisturize the plate every day. It is especially important to do procedures if your nails are constantly exposed to negative influences. Vaseline is sold in pharmacies. Lubricate your hands and then put on gloves for 2-4 hours. We recommend doing a moisturizing procedure at night.
Protect your hands from the negative effects of chemicals. People often ignore the advice and then complain about dry skin on their hands and damaged nails. When washing dishes or the floor, be sure to protect your hands with gloves. Wash your hands after returning home from work or going out. You cannot create a positive environment for bacteria, because you can catch a fungus that is difficult to get rid of. Get rid of the habit of biting your nails, as this leads to damage to the plate.
Watch your diet, because you cannot deprive the body of nutrients, even if the product is high in calories. Proteins help fill the body with microelements. Use liquid vitamin E to care for your fingers.
Strong and healthy nails: dry manicure How to properly file your fingernails, read here
Why gel comes off from natural nails, see the link
Try making a decorative coating using biogel. It helps strengthen the plate, prevent delamination and grow beautiful nails. Contains safe components that have a positive effect on plate growth. Buy a medicated polish that nourishes and moisturizes your nails. It is convenient to use and also creates a protective layer.
In a beauty salon you can make paraffin baths. Do the procedure at home if you find paraffin at the pharmacy. Melt in a water bath to use as intended. We recommend doing the procedure once a week.
Before decorative coating, use a varnish base. It will help protect and strengthen the plate. To avoid problems with your nails, take a break from using polish.
When the plate darkens, use bleaching methods. Homemade baths with soda and salt help in this matter. Use lemon to remove unsightly tint from the plate. Glycerin will help moisturize your hands after such procedures.
Simple tips from the article will help prevent black streaks from appearing on your nails. Take care of your hands regularly for the effect to be noticeable:
- do hand baths;
- take vitamins;
- do not use cheap products;
- eliminate negative impacts;
- learn how to do a manicure;
- use a varnish base.
Simple rules of care and hygiene help prevent stains on the plate. Your hands will always be beautiful and well-groomed.
Treatment methods
There are different therapeutic regimens to treat black spots on the toes. They are selected taking into account the cause of the disease.
Injury
If there has been trauma, complete removal of the plate is indicated. A hematoma can cause fluid to accumulate under the nail. It often causes purulent inflammation. A puncture or resection will help get rid of it. For treatment, you need to contact a traumatologist.
Sometimes timely first aid can prevent the occurrence of unwanted complications. If you wash your foot thoroughly immediately after an injury, dry it, and apply a cold compress to the nail, you may be able to avoid bruising.
To reduce inflammation, it is useful to lubricate the sore spot with Heparin ointment in the first three days; it is important to bandage the injured nail and try not to touch it. To eliminate additional stress, experts recommend changing shoes to looser ones, in which the sore leg will feel more comfortable.
Even if the injury has caused the plate to move, you should not try to tear it off yourself. A product called Nogtivit will help speed up the process of its rejection. It is sold in pharmacies in two forms: as a patch and an emulsion. The first one is easier to use. Using the drug allows you to easily remove an injured nail at home.
Fungus
Detection of a fungal nature requires the prescription of systemic and local antimycotic agents. Diflucan, Mycomax, Irunin, and Lamisil are prescribed for oral administration. The choice of drug is made on the basis of deciphering laboratory tests that allow identifying the causative agent of the infection. To treat nails, use Ciclopirox varnish, Exoderil cream or solution.
The therapy is long-term: local treatment is carried out until the new nail grows completely. Recovery directly depends on how strictly the patient adheres to the proposed recommendations.
Diseases of internal organs
If damage to the nail plates occurs as a result of an internal disease, you need to visit your doctor and, together with him, draw up a treatment plan for the nail damage. Without eliminating the causes of the described cosmetic defect, any local therapy will be ineffective.
Dyes
Nails that have darkened after contact with coloring compounds can be whitened using folk remedies. Best suited for these purposes:
- Regular baking soda. Using powder and water, prepare a creamy mixture, apply it to washed nails and wait until completely dry. Afterwards, rinse and lubricate the plate with any vegetable oil.
- Hydrogen peroxide. Mix peroxide and glycerin in proportions 1:5, apply to the darkened nail and cover with a cotton swab. After ten minutes, rinse and lubricate with any nourishing cream.
It may be necessary to carry out several whitening procedures to achieve the desired result.
Perhaps it's a fungus
Black stripes under the nails can also be a common fungus. To confirm the presence of the latter on the nails, you should go to the hospital. There, with the help of laboratory tests, they will quickly determine what kind of fungus it is, and the attending physician will explain in detail how to get rid of it. At the end of the treatment, you can completely get rid of the black stripes under your nails once and for all.
Quite often, the fungus affects the fingernails and toenails after visiting places such as a sauna, bathhouse and swimming pool, or public transport. In other words, if you have a weak immune system, you can catch the fungus anywhere.
Sometimes people notice that black spots on their nails appear after a manicure done by a specialist. This may be due to the fact that the technician handled the scissors or files poorly and gave you an infection. In this case, you should choose manicurists very carefully and go only to those specialists in whom you are absolutely confident.
Genetic diseases
Sometimes such phenomena are associated with heredity. In this case, it is completely impossible to get rid of them. You can only change the situation slightly if you use a special cream. In very rare cases, black stripes under the nails can be pronounced.
To somehow give your hands a neat appearance, you should use special manicure sanding paper. But doctors do not recommend rubbing your nails more than once a month. And if your blood relatives did not have such problems, then it’s not a matter of genetics.
