What do black spots on your fingernails mean?
Red or black spots may be splinter hemorrhages associated with endocarditis. The spots may be subungual hematomas from trauma or a fingernail injury. It can also be a skin cancer like melanoma or squamous cell cancer.
What do vertical black lines on fingernails mean?
A narrow black line that has formed vertically underneath your nail is called a splinter hemorrhage. It occurs for a variety of reasons and may be harmless or a sign of a more serious health condition. This condition is called a splinter hemorrhage because it may look like a wood splinter under your nail.
Can splinter hemorrhages come and go?
No treatment is necessary for splinter hemorrhages caused by trauma. Depending on the severity of the injury, the hemorrhage may clear up within a couple of days or slowly disappear as your nail grows out. Because nails grow at a slow pace, it may take several months for the splinter-like mark to completely disappear.
What does a splinter look like under a fingernail?
Splinter hemorrhages. Splinter hemorrhages are small areas of bleeding (hemorrhage) under the fingernails or toenails. Splinter hemorrhages look like thin, red to reddish-brown lines of blood under the nails. They run in the direction of nail growth. They are named splinter hemorrhages because they look like a splinter under the fingernail.
Why do I have black lines under my fingernails?
Black line on the nail. A narrow black line that has formed vertically underneath your nail is called a splinter hemorrhage. It occurs for a variety of reasons and may be harmless or a sign of a more serious health condition. This condition is called a splinter hemorrhage because it may look like a wood splinter under your nail.
What to do about splinters on your fingers?
Also, hemorrhages close to the nail plate and on several fingers can indicate an underlying systemic disease. Food rich in B vitamins and zinc may help to treat splinter hemorrhages. When splinter hemorrhages result from trauma, they do not usually need treatment. As the nails continue to grow, the splinter hemorrhages should disappear over time.
What causes a splinter in the nail bed?
Trauma is one of the most common causes of splinter hemorrhages. This can occur when something hurts your nail bed and bursts a blood vessel under your nail. You may also experience nail trauma without even realizing it, such as when you squeeze something very tightly. Endocarditis is a heart condition that may cause splinter hemorrhages.
What causes black spots under fingernails?
Black spots under fingernails. A subungual hematoma is the most likely cause of black spots under fingernails. A subungual hematoma can be found under fingernails or toenail. It often constitutes an accumulation of blood caused by trauma.
Why are my fingernails turning black?
black nails are generally caused by blood under the nail, which turns black when the blood is broken down. Other causes are as follows: Anemia, B-12 deficiency, bacterial infection, chronic kidney disease, adrenal gland problems, liver disease, cancer or melanomas, silver deposits (heavy metals), and trauma.
What do black streaks in fingernails mean?
Black streaks on fingernails can be caused by lack of nutrition, injuries, infections, etc. Such changes in fingernails help monitor your health condition. In most cases, you don’t have to worry about black streaks in fingernails. That is especially true if the black lines are vertical.
Why do I see black lines on fingernails?
Why Do Your Fingernails Have Black Streaks? Lack of Nutrition. Your nails can give you insight into whether you are receiving enough nutrients, particularly protein and calcium. Bleeding. Bleeding underneath the nails is known as a splinter hemorrhage and this sometimes causes black or dark red lines. Fungal Infections. Melanonychia. Nail Injury. Melanoma.