Your toes can reveal key insights about your overall health. Foot specialists caution that anyone noticing discoloration in their toenails should get medical attention without delay.
Podiatrists—experts in diagnosing and treating foot conditions—at Belmont Anderson & Associates say there are clear warning signs in the toenails that could point to underlying health problems.
“If you notice dark discolouration that is often painful, you should be alarmed,” they advise. “This is a sign of melanoma, which is a very serious form of skin cancer. You should schedule an appointment with your physician right away.”
Healthline adds that dark discoloration may indicate subungual melanoma, which occurs when cells in the nail bed produce excessive melanin, the pigment responsible for color in skin, hair, and eyes.
The experts explain: “Subungual melanoma develops under the toenail and, depending on the type, can be fatal if left untreated. Most people with subungual melanoma have a dark black, vertical band in a single toenail, which can be mistaken for other conditions such as bacterial or fungal infections or nail trauma.”
Beyond a dark stripe on the nail, Healthline notes other warning signs of subungual melanoma, including:
- splitting or bleeding of the nail
- painful nails
- drainage (pus) from the nail
- injuries that heal slowly
- nail dystrophy
- nails separating from the nail bed
“If you have any of these and your doctor suspects subungual melanoma, they may perform or order a nail biopsy to detect cancer cells,” the outlet adds.
Treatment for subungual melanoma can involve surgery to remove the affected nail and nail bed, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, or partial to complete surgical removal of the toe.
It’s important to remember that nail discoloration can sometimes indicate an underlying health issue.
Yellow-brown spots beneath the nail could suggest psoriasis, white at the bottom and pink or discoloured at the top may point to kidney failure, fully white nails could indicate cirrhosis, and green nails may result from pseudomonas infections.
Healthline recommends seeking medical evaluation if your nail or nail bed:
- changes shape
- thickens
- bleeds
- swells
- is painful
- has discharge
