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" Question Over the past three weeks my toenails have changed colour and are now black.  This is gradually happening to all of the nails in turn.  Could you please explain what this may be and how it can be treated?   Answer I&amp;#039;m sorry to hear about this problem with your toenails, but I am sure this is nothing serious.  It is difficult for me to tell you exactly what the problem might be without actually seeing them, but this does not ring any alarm bells.  As most of your nails are affected, this really rules out any sinister problems.  The commonest reason for a toenail to go black or darker in colour is trauma that is some sort of damage to the toenails.  The colour change is actually under the nails rather than in the nails themselves.  This can happen if someone does a lot of unaccustomed activity such as walking or sports, especially if the shoes are not a good fit.  This can cause pressure on the ends of the nails, and damage the nails and the nail beds. As the nails grow over the next few weeks a dark area can appear.  If this is the case here, the dark areas will eventually grow out completely.  Another possible cause is a fungal nail infection. This can cause discolouration of the nails, but they are usually a brownish or yellowish colour rather than black, and the onset is usually slow and affects only one or two nails at first and then spreads to the others.  If you think this is a possibility, then you should let your doctor have a look, because the best treatments are only available on prescription. Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team   Other Qs &amp;amp; As Anafranil Anal itch Blood in urine Can I deepen my voice? Can mild scoliosis be treated? Creatine Do I have a lymphocele? Has radiotherapy left me unable to ejaculate? Help for anal fissures How long does it take for a boy&amp;#039;s voice to break? Hypospadias I can&amp;#039;t cope with the pain of my piles I can&amp;#039;t pass water in public I have bad body odour and breath I have to shave my penis Inflamed toe nail Information about varicose veins Is there any such thing as the male menopause? Is this excessive hair growth due to my thyroid function? It sounds like depression I&amp;#039;ve a &amp;#039;feeling&amp;#039; in my penis Mesterolone My son is going to have an operation for hypospadias My voice hasn&amp;#039;t broken and it&amp;#039;s getting me down Recurrent thrush Recurring chest infection Smegma Testosterone replacement patches Thick urine Vitamins to help unhealthy lifestyle What can my husband do with his worsening piles? What is a soft tissue lump? What is an urodynamic test? What is mesenteric adenitis? Why do men get stretch marks? Will a tongue scrape help my bad breath?   Last updated 30.06.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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