Springtime means buying new clothes and shoes for the season and prepping your feet for the season. Sandals, flip-flops, and opened toes heels are all very popular as the weather gets nicer and spring makes an entrance. As you prepare your feet with an at-home pedicure you might get quite the shock. That is because you notice your toenail is black and you do not remember quite how it happened. This can put a damper on any opened toed shoe dreams, or pedicure. It may be tempting to cover that black toenail up with some nail polish, but in reality, it is one of the worst things you can do to the nail. Instead, have a podiatrist identify the cause of the black nail and prescribe a treatment plan so that it can heal and be healthy and happy for the future.

Identify the Cause

One way to identify the cause of a black toenail is by visiting the podiatrist. A podiatrist can examine the toenail and ask a series of questions that can lead to a deeper answer as to why your toenail has turned black. Some common reasons are underlying disease, blunt trauma, and fungal infections. Most of these reasons can be treated in office by the podiatrist. Others will require multiple trips to the podiatrist office and a course of antibiotics. Whatever the case is, as soon as you know the root cause of the black toenail, then you are on the right track to recovery.

What Kind of Treatments Are Available

One common reason why a toenail is black is due to the pooling of blood under the nail. This can be remedied with a pinprick to the nail. The built-up blood would then be released and allow the nail to naturally resume its normal coloration. This should only be done in the office by a podiatrist. Foot doctors have the proper sterile tools to do this without the risk of causing an infection to the toe. Fungal infections can be treated with over the counter or prescribed antifungal medications. Monitor your toenail and consult with a podiatrist for further treatment options.

If your toenail is black, it is a sign that there is a problem occurring within your foot. Call Syracuse Podiatry in East Syracuse, New York. There Dr. Ryan L. D’Amico and Dr. Payel Ghosh can help get your toenail back into tip-top shape. Call 315-446-3668 or make an appointment online today.