discoloured or infected toe nail? can you help

[jaynesavage]

Hi
one of my clients (I'm still training, so she's really a model) has a strange big toe nail - it looks like it was damaged whilst still in the nail bed, and is growing out - there is some dark red/black marks, which would mean it had been damaged, and the top of the nail is white, but the white is almost all over, it even looks moldy - she has no pain and it actually feels okay - She has always had a colour on her nails, which obviously i have advised her to give them some air! but i don;t know what to do about the nail - so far i haven't touched it - should she see a doctor?
thanks

 

[Envy]

Sounds like several things going on

Red/ black marks are most likely splinter hemmoraging - blood under the nail plate. Probably she has kicked something months ago, or wears very tight shoes...

The white on the nail plate could be psudo leukonychia - (surface whitening)
this could be from having cheap enamels on, ie, ones with formaldehyde - it is an over dehydration of the nail plate.

You mention getting air to the nail. In honesty this won't/ doesn't help. She is better off to get some moisture in there, such as solar oil. Which penetrates through enamel anyway. She should be using a good quality base coat and enamel.

If you are really in doubt then a doctor is never a bad idea. You don't mention any formal training in your profile. So I'm really not sure how much you know about nails, anatomy, disorders etc...

Hope that hleps.