Awful Question - nail

RubyK

Apologies for the grossness, but if your toe-nail turns black, will it fall off, or do they usually clear up, and return to normal? Ugh, I feel ill just typing this. I'd hate to think of it falling off :eek:

nomadic

I'm in the process of losing my first nail. I was cutting them yesterday and it just lifted off. It was black for ages.

RubyK

I'm hoping that mine will somehow clear up. Can't face the thoughts of having no nail of my big toe God I feel ill.

tunguska

It will fall off. Ive cracked two of them playing ball, they turned black and then fall off. It is kind of freaky looking at your big toe minus a nail but its no big deal so dont worry about it at all, it wont affect your training.

RubyK

tunguska wrote: »

It will fall off. Ive cracked two of them playing ball, they turned black and then fall off. It is kind of freaky looking at your big toe minus a nail but its no big deal so dont worry about it at all, it wont affect your training.

Thanks tunguska. I'm just a bit worried, being diabetic, that if my doc sees it, he will give out to me, and tell me stop running (ok, that might be my overactive imagination!).

Also, I'll have to hide my ugly black/nail-less toe in shoes, rather than lovely sandals

opus

Yeah same thing happened me, not sure why but one of my toenails turned black after a marathon & then detached itself a few weeks later. You wouldn't really notice it now and I assume (hope!) a new nail is coming along to take its place

tunguska

RubyK wrote: »

Also, I'll have to hide my ugly black/nail-less toe in shoes, rather than lovely sandals

Just slap on a pair of socks when you wear your sandles. White ones would be particularly striking, but black novelty socks would do the job aswell...............

SexyD4Lady

Lost one of my fingernails that went black. By the time it had fallen off though, there was a small new ordinary coloured nail growing in its place. Chiropodists can fit very convincing false toenails in case you're going to an event while you're missing your natural nail- my mother's friend has them done in the summertime so she can wear sandals. She lost both her big toenails permanently to them being badly ingrown. They last about two weeks, AFAIK

LenaClaire

This will sound rather odd but I have a friend who has permanently lost her big toe nail and she paints where it should have been with nail polish and no one can tell it is not there when she wears sandals unless they look really closely.

jaymack75

tunguska wrote: »

It will fall off.

No sign of it yet, but at least now I know what to expect with the 2 black toenails I got since Portumna :eek:

RubyK

tunguska wrote: »

Just slap on a pair of socks when you wear your sandles. White ones would be particularly striking, but black novelty socks would do the job aswell...............

Good thinking tunguska Sure it's a trend with some people already!

This will sound rather odd but I have a friend who has permanently lost her big toe nail and she paints where it should have been with nail polish and no one can tell it is not there when she wears sandals unless they look really closely.

This made me lol, but I suppose it could work!

menoscemo

I had a Toe nail go Black Back last August and it took about 6 months to finally drop off. By that time a new nails was already growing underneath.
Just be careful and trim the new nail regularly as it can often start ingrowing.

DustyBin

@ Rubyk
Photos or GTFO

Was at the IMRA Mt Leinster race a few weeks back and was struck by one competitor / spectator after the race who appeared not to have a single toe nail on either foot

RubyK

DustyBin wrote: »

@ Rubyk
Photos or GTFO

No chance! I can barely look at it myself, let alone inflict it on boardsies.

Was at the IMRA Mt Leinster race a few weeks back and was struck by one competitor / spectator after the race who appeared not to have a single toe nail on either foot

Jebas :eek:

TFBubendorfer

A mismatch in the number of toes to toe nails is the sign of a true runner.

And if your doctor tells you to stop running, it's time to change your doctor.

RubyK

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

A mismatch in the number of toes to toe nails is the sign of a true runner.

And if your doctor tells you to stop running, it's time to change your doctor.

I've been avoiding him, and I think I'll continue to do so until after the new nail grows!

messed_up

How common are blackened toenails/nails falling off common for runners? Thankfully, I've never had an issue with this (yet)

kingQuez

I've gotten localized bruises that havent resulted in the nail falling off (if possible try and drain the blood with a pin to avoid extra pressure build up there making it worse), and full on ones that caused it to grow out.

The idea is worse than the reality (it wasn't sore at all really), but it did mean I'd to be careful not to snag the old loose nail while the new one grew up under it. Took about 6 months before the old one came off and the new one underneath was already fully in place by then.

TFBubendorfer

It's fairly common for people who are doing reasonably high mileage. I think it's mostly caused by the top of the toes repeatedly slamming against the inside of the shoe.

Maybe it's because I always use runners a whole size bigger than my street shoes that I still haven't got a single black toenail, no matter how hard I try. :rolleyes:

hunnymonster

famous last words TFB. Most recent victim was Zuppylurk. 17 years of marathon and ultramarathon running and he got his first black toenail in Portumna 100km. It still hasn't fallen off but it's only a matter of time.

I've currently got 7 toenails. One of my proudest moments this year was having a full set of 10 on my wedding day.

RacoonQueen

jujibee wrote: »

This will sound rather odd but I have a friend who has permanently lost her big toe nail and she paints where it should have been with nail polish and no one can tell it is not there when she wears sandals unless they look really closely.

My sister has never had nails on her baby toes and has always done this.

Don't worry about it Ruby, paint all your toes black and no on will know. :pac:

I lost a couple after Connemara 2009 but haven't lost any since, any time I lost them though a thin layer of nail had already grown back underneath. I actually had to pull one of my nails off after that race because it had been hanging on for a couple of days and I got bored waiting for it to fall off.

Oryx

You're a true runner if you're losing toenails.

I've lost about 4 at this stage, but it happens less if you keep the nails short. Forget to cut them before an event and theyre doomed.

Paint them to cover it up. And you look all girlie at the start of a tri.

hunnymonster

For anyone who wants to minimise the chance of losing toe nails or indeed any other running related foot problems (blisters, hot spots etc) the best resource I've found dealing with this is john Vonhoft's "Fixing your feet". At times it's a frustrating book because there is no right answer, just a series of solutions that work for various people but if there are suggestions for just about every possible foot problem. He also has a website with lots of info.

toomuchdetail

RubyK wrote: »

Apologies for the grossness, but if your toe-nail turns black, will it fall off, or do they usually clear up, and return to normal? Ugh, I feel ill just typing this. I'd hate to think of it falling off :eek:

Lost 3 since last October , managed to pick up an fungal infection with the last one but as stated all fall off within 3-4 months , no real pain your just more aware of it.
Not sure why yours happened but maybe look at what socks your wearing or shoe size, I had a habit of "toe creeping" or clenching toes when running and I had been in Kayanos size 13 . Went to Amphibian King last week and I am now in Mizuno size 11.5 !! thats a lot less movement and a lot less opportunity for excess toe movement.
BTW keep the nails as they will make a nice neck piece when you add 3-4 more , we could also send ours on if you like:D

littlebug

It took about 10 months for my 2 black toenails to come off (not fall off they needed some encouragement) by which stage there were 2 nice shiny new toenails underneath (ok they're a bit odd looking).
it's still those two toes that seem to take the most battering though. it's the toe beside the big toe on each foot which i think is odd because they're shorter than the big toe so it doesn't make sense.

robinph

RubyK wrote: »

Thanks tunguska. I'm just a bit worried, being diabetic, that if my doc sees it, he will give out to me, and tell me stop running (ok, that might be my overactive imagination!).

Also, I'll have to hide my ugly black/nail-less toe in shoes, rather than lovely sandals

I'm doubting that the doc will care too much if you give them the reason for being one short of a full set. One of my toes still hasn't quite recovered after turning half black ages ago, can't actually remember when it was now, but half of it appears to be not stuck on properly. I'm planning on diverting attention away from the toe issue by having too many other things for him* to tell me off for when I see him later this week.

* Might be a she, but it s new doc so I'm not yet sure.