What Does Dark Blue Color On Finger Nail Of An Infant Indicate?

Posted on Thu, 7 Jul 2016

Question: dear doctor, my female baby is one year old. her thumb finger nail got dark blue color. when I press it she is crying. what I do sir?

Answered by Dr. Arun (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Must have got injured. Will settle

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing to us.
I have seen the attached picture.
Based on your description and the image, it could be a bruise under nail bed.
This could have happened due to any unnoticed injury.

I usually prescribe painkillers like ibuprofen syrup around 3 ml twice a day to decrease the pain.

Sometimes it might settle in a few days. The injured nail might even fall off which will grow later.

But this may not happen in all kids.
It can get infected too. In that case pain will not settle and you may have to take her to her pediatrician for further treatment including antibiotics and removal of any pus which may have formed.
Wishing your daughter speedy recovery.
Regards
Dr Arun

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar