The nail bed is the skin under the nail that can indicate nail and overall health. Discoloration, pain, and infection can occur, and injuries should be treated carefully. Discolored nail beds may indicate an underlying infection or disease and should be diagnosed by a doctor. Nail loss should also be seen by a doctor.
The nail bed refers to the thin area of skin that sits just under the nail. This skin gives the nails their pink appearance and can also be a good indicator of the nail and overall health. For example, the nail bed can sometimes become injured or infected. When this happens, a yellow or blue appearance may be present on the nail. These conditions may indicate poor hygiene or an underlying disease or widespread infection.
Most of the time the nail bed is very sensitive and sometimes tender. When trimming nails, care must be taken not to cut at the “rapid” or beginning of the nail bed. This can be very painful and can open up the area to future infection and injury. If the nail is cut too much and pain or bleeding occurs, the area should be kept clean and possibly bandaged with a disinfectant.
If your nails start to turn yellow or off-white, this could indicate an underlying infection. Nail bed infections are quite common and are usually nothing to worry about; however, they should still be diagnosed by a doctor. In some rare cases, discolored nail beds could indicate an underlying disease or infection elsewhere in the body. Other signs of infection include thick or brittle nails and sometimes a faint odor. Pain or soreness combined with redness or pus indicates a more serious infection that should be investigated by a doctor right away.
Sometimes the nail bed can hurt, especially if the nail is pinched or bent. Blood can pool in the center of the nail bed and cause severe discoloration and bruising. If the injury isn’t serious, the skin should heal on its own within a week or two. More damaging injuries can result in fractures or sprains and should be checked out by a doctor. If a wound takes longer than usual to heal or is accompanied by signs of infection, a doctor’s visit is necessary.
The nail bed is very susceptible to injury in cases where an injury or other circumstance leads to the removal of the nail. If this situation occurs, the area should be covered with a bandage and extra care should be taken not to inflict further injury. Any injury that results in nail loss should be seen by a doctor.
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