If you can, try on your socks with your running shoes so you can gauge how they will fit when you run. Thicker socks can be cushioning, but just make sure the thickness is not making the shoe too tight, Dr. You might need your shoes to go a little bigger, though, if your feet have a tendency to swell more when you exercise, or in hot temperatures. “This should give enough space for the toes of the foot to slide forward and back within the shoe,” Dr. Leaving curves or sharp edges can leave you vulnerable to an ingrown toenail, says Dr. “The less the nail extends beyond, it's going to be less likely to hit on the end of the shoe while you're running,” says Dr. While you may not be able to fully prevent a black toenail from occurring if you’re running long or often, there are some things you can do to make it less likely to happen.įirst, keep your toenails short-the nail should be flush with the end of your toe. Here’s how to reduce your chances of getting the dreaded black toenail. (If it’s bleeding when it falls off, apply pressure first to stop it.) You may also want to apply petroleum jelly to the area to help keep the skin moist as it heals. If-and when-the toenail comes off, you should clean the area with soap and water twice a day, and then cover it with a bandage to protect the area while it heals, says Dr. Resist the urge to pull it off yourself (□), which can cause more trauma if it’s not yet ready to come off, says Dr. If your black toenail is not hurting, you can continue to run as usual-just keep it trimmed short, especially any loose portions, to guard against further trauma, says Dr. ![]() (Bonus: Along with less time dealing with pain, that can also reduce the chances that your nail will loosen and fall off, she says.) (Definitely do not try this at home.) It’s best to see your doc within a few days of noticing the black spot, since you want to get in before the blood dries. Your doctor may poke a few tiny holes in the nail to drain some of the blood and reduce the subsequent pressure and pain, says Dr. It will take about six to nine months to grow out completely, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.įor black toenails causing lots of pain, though, see your podiatrist. “In mild cases, no treatment is needed at all, and the black nail will simply grow out,” Dr. The drying of the blood can cause your nail plate to separate and loosen, meaning your toenail can actually fall off weeks, or even months, afterward. You might notice a subungual hematoma after your run first as a small black spot, but over the next few days, the discoloration can grow in size, Priya Parthasarathy D.P.M., a member and spokesperson of the American Podiatric Medical Association, tells SELF. So can running in hot weather hot temperatures cause your feet to swell, which can increase the pressure in your shoe, says Dr. That’s why prolonged bouts of downhill running-during which your foot is being pushed forward more with each stride-can increase the chances of getting a black toenail. Pressure is to blame for this microtrauma, whether it’s from shoes that are too small or socks that are too tight, both of which can cause your toes to smack up against the sides of your running shoes, he says. “That black color you see is really the dried blood,” he explains. The official name for this is a subungual hematoma, which pretty much just means a blood blister under the nail, says Dr. “It basically causes bruising or bleeding underneath the toenail in the bed of the toenail.” “Typically, their toes are hitting somewhere in their shoes, often in the front of their shoes, and that pressure is pushing on the toenail plate itself,” she explains.
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