In the article, we will talk about why black spots appear on the nails of the hands. We will deal with this phenomenon in detail, and also try to understand why this is happening and how to avoid it. If this topic is relevant to you, continue reading our article.
Introduction to the topic
As you know, absolutely any person at one or another moment of his life becomes more or less susceptible to certain diseases. Most often it depends on the general state of health, as well as on how strong the immune system is in a person. That is why it is very important to regularly monitor your condition in order to detect the first alarm signals in time and correctly respond to them.
It should be noted that black spots on the nails of the hands are a certain signal of the body, which it gives in the event of a certain malfunction in its work. Our body sends quite a lot of such signals, but not everyone pays enough attention to them. Nevertheless, if the problem is discovered in time and its causes understood, negative consequences can be avoided.
Healthy nails
If a person has no health problems, then his nails look healthy. The look of healthy nails provides a smooth, even surface without roughness of uniform color throughout the plate, except for the lunula and the cut line. In addition, if the plate is not mechanically damaged, then it should have a slight sheen. As for the shade of the nails, it should be light pink. If your nails do not meet any of these criteria, then most likely there are some problems in the body.
Among other things, you need to pay attention not only to problems such as weakness and stratification of the nails, which very often are considered exclusively as a cosmetic defect. Spots, grids, irregularities and various kinds of plate deformations - all this can tell us about certain pathologies that prevent healthy nails from growing freely. The reason for such deviations can either be covered in certain diseases of the internal organs, or lie directly in impaired growth of the nail plate.
Why do spots appear on nails?
So, if a black spot appears on the finger nail, then what could be the reason? In fact, there are quite a few options: the matter may be chemical harm, damage to the nail plate, and infection is also possible. In addition, such problems may occur due to serious disorders in the functioning of the body or as a result of severe stress. In addition, it must be remembered that the appearance of the nail plate can change even due to the fact that you will neglect the simplest rules of hygiene.
There are several reasons for the appearance of black spots on the nails of the hands. Below we consider each of them.
Minor deformations
If you have problems with your nails, such as small spots, slight distortions or small bruising under the plate, then the cause may be some kind of microtrauma that you might not even notice and not feel discomfort during its application. Very often, such injuries happen to people who are actively involved in sports. In addition, a black spot under the nail more often appears in those who, by nature of activity, spend a large amount of time during the day on their feet.
Toenails are subject to deformation no less often. Many do not think about the fact that health depends on the right shoes. So, if you wear too tight shoes, then you can earn yourself a whole bunch of various diseases and deviations concerning nails. The fact is that wearing a shoe that is too small for you or simply brings discomfort can threaten not only bruising, but also deformation of the fingers. At first glance, this seems harmless, but in fact in the future it can lead to the development of arthritis.
In addition, you need to pay special attention to all chemicals with which your hands come in contact. Various fertilizers, chemicals and detergents can cause serious damage to the health of your nails. Work with them very carefully, always using high-quality protective gloves. Note that most chemical mixtures have such a side effect as a change in pigmentation of the skin or nails, so be prepared that if you neglect the rules of your safety, you can not only ruin the appearance and aesthetics of your nails, but also get serious health problems.
Fungus
Black spots under the fingernails can also occur due to infection. First of all, this applies to fungal diseases, which penetrate under the nail plate and immediately multiply under it. In this way, they simply gradually destroy the structure of the nail. But how to understand: is the nail just bruised or is it already an infection? Note that trauma from the trauma passes after a few days, while black spots on the nails of the hands resulting from a fungal infection are visible for months. In addition, they can change their shape, increase.
However, there are a number of signs by which it can be understood that the nails are affected by the fungus. The front plate is strongly modified and becomes uneven: it looks more rough, has various recesses and elevations that are felt when touched. The nail bed and side rollers are also inflamed.
Usually a fungal infection begins with the appearance of green or yellow circles on the nails. The appearance of dark circles is the next stage, which may be a signal that you have caught a fungal disease.
Body diseases
Very often, black spots on the nails of the hands, the reasons for which are not due to mechanical damage, can occur due to various malfunctions in the body.
So, circles that have a more brownish tint may indicate a disorder in the functioning of the kidneys. Spots that differ in charcoal black, especially if they are arranged in groups, may indicate that there are some problems in the activity of the liver. Spots with a bluish tint remind of the disorder of the cardiovascular system.
Particular attention should be paid to the state of your health if a black spot on the nail occurs simultaneously with rashes or neoplasms, such as moles and papillomas. In this case, it is necessary to contact the oncologist as soon as possible for the analysis and detailed consultation. Note that very often in this way cancer cells in the human body manifest themselves. In this case, a person will not be able to solve this problem without surgical intervention.
Avitaminosis
Not everyone knows that such a common problem as vitamin deficiency can also provoke the appearance of defects on the nails. When a person lacks vitamins in his body, he becomes especially malleable to the appearance of elementary diseases. Scientists believe that even the lack of one important element can cause significant harm to health.
Most often, black spots on the nails of the hands, the photos of which we observe in the article, appear in people who do not eat well or decide to follow various diets that are contraindicated to them in principle because of their health status or body characteristics. If a person lacks protein, then because of this, vitamin deficiency can develop, which, in turn, causes anemia. That is why it is necessary to closely monitor that meat and dairy products, fiber, cereals are always included in the diet.
Defect forms
It is natural that the spots that appear on the nail plate can take on completely different shapes and occupy a different size area of the nail bed. Quite often, the cause can be determined by looking at the shape of the black spot under the nail.
So, if you had a hematoma after a small injury, then, most likely, there will be small round spots with very clear edges. If microtrauma was received during playing sports or other active pastime, then dark streaks may form on the nails. In the event that the defect has blurry contours or the nail is completely darkened, we can talk about fungal infection. If the points on the nails are almost imperceptible, but still present, then this may indicate a malfunction of the liver. The more of them, the more difficult the situation.
Be that as it may, you should not make a diagnosis on your own based on the shape of the spot, because only a qualified doctor can provide high-quality diagnostics. It is noteworthy that even he can not always with absolute accuracy visually determine the cause of this pathology, and then he resorts to analytical studies and collecting the patient’s history.
Prevention
To avoid such anomalies on the nails of their hands, people should be more attentive to their health and take preventive measures, including basic hygienic care for them. Prevention can only be meaningless in the case of oncology or a predisposition to pigmentation. Nevertheless, even in this case, if you contact a specialist in a timely manner, you can solve the problem in time, preventing it from spreading to neighboring nails.
As for all other situations, black spots on the nails can be prevented if you follow certain rules. So, you need to regularly take care not only of the nails, but also of the hands. It is very important to observe the simplest hygiene rules in order to exclude the possibility of fungal infection. If you do manicure and pedicure, then you should use only individual tools or pre-treat them with special solutions. If the procedure is carried out in the salon, then you simply must ensure that everything happens at the proper level.
If you do not want a black stain on the thumbnail or on the plates of adjacent fingers to ruin your life, always use your hygiene products exclusively. So the probability of catching an infection of the same fungus from an infected person is minimized.
Nutrition and lifestyle
Always monitor your diet so that the body receives all the necessary trace elements and vitamins. Correctly select shoes in order not to deform the toes, and also not to develop various defects of the foot. If you work with chemicals and clean your apartment with preparations saturated with cleaning acids, be sure to use protective gloves to prevent the appearance of various rashes and pigmentations.
Also learn how to properly distribute physical activity, whether you are at work or in the gym. Perform the exercises in accordance with the correct technique and make sure that your limbs do not receive even microscopic injuries. If you notice any changes in your body that suggest that certain malfunctions have occurred, it is best to consult a doctor immediately. So you can prevent possible serious problems. Remember that it is better to visit the doctor one more time than to forget to do it at the most inopportune moment.
Bad habits
In fact, a rather indecent and simply unaesthetic habit is considered a constant desire to bite your nails. Under the influence of stress, many adults can begin this unpleasant process involuntarily, due to neurosis and unstable emotional state, which ultimately can lead to deformation of the nail plate.
In any case, if you have a black spot on the thumbnail, in fact, like on the other nails, in no case try to hide this problem with manicure varnish or any cosmetic procedures. Thus, you only delay the solution to the problem, and possibly aggravate it.
Treatment and traditional medicine
Also, in case of stains on the nails, many ignore them, let them drift and do not rush to see a doctor. From the point of view of a proper attitude to one’s health, this is fundamentally wrong. But for some reason everyone forgets that the easiest way to solve various diseases and defects is at the initial stage, when they are easily amenable to external influence. So, a black spot on the nail of the thumb or other fingers is a good reason to see a doctor. If you encounter this problem, you must immediately sign up for a consultation with a specialist. Interestingly, this pathology is faced equally often by men and women.
A specialist will be able to diagnose a neoplasm on the nail only after he conducts a visual examination of the anomaly and receives the results of the analyzes. Treatment will depend directly on the causes and nature of the particular disease. Most often this is outpatient therapy: the doctor prescribes the appropriate medications, and the patient conscientiously takes the prescribed drugs at home.
In addition to medicines, vitamins can also be prescribed to help support the body and strengthen the immune system. All this also allows you to significantly improve the condition of the nail integument. At the same time, doctors themselves very often recommend, along with traditional treatment, to use alternative methods that are most effective and have proven their right to exist. At the same time, they can be used only if your attending physician really approves of this. But what methods of alternative treatment contribute to getting rid of black and white spots on the nails of the hands?
Note that folk methods are most often aimed at ridding nails of both light and dark defects, because they generally strengthen the immune system and allow you to get rid of all kinds of nail distortions. It is very important to devote a doctor to how exactly you will use alternative medicine, because its methods should not contradict your treatment.
It is better to refuse to visit beauty salons during the treatment period, and also not to do manicures and pedicures. After treatment, it is important to choose a good master for yourself, in whom you will be sure and with whom you will probably know that he uses only individual tools or that they are processed in the right way and in sufficient quantities. If you suspect that the master does not disinfect his working tools, we recommend that you refuse to visit such a salon.
Note that it is also very important to pay attention to nutrition. Therefore, before wondering why the nail is black, analyze your lifestyle and nutrition. Very often, you can get rid of this problem simply by adjusting your daily regimen. In other words, treatment with drugs may not even be necessary, but you should definitely consult a doctor to check if there really is no infection and if you can focus on nutrition and lifestyle.
Be careful, monitor the condition of your hands and nails, and also react sensitively if they change their appearance. Remember that everything has its own reasons. And never self-medicate - it is better to leave it to a competent specialist who, with the help of modern medical equipment and through reliable tests, will be able to give you an accurate diagnosis and take qualified measures.