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Congratulations 7 years!
Sending hugs and prayers.
Unfortunately I think no, this sometimes happens with Chemo. It doesn’t go away when chemo is done, but it will grow out. Mine turned a yellowish brown, but grew out just fine. Not common, but they can lift off, but will grow back. Soaking them in half white vinegar half water can help keep them clean. Long term, my finger nails are fine, my toe nails are more sensitive, and curve more. But 7 years later, no evidence of cancer, so I will take it.
Wishing you well!
I purchased a product made in the UK, it was developed as a "preventative" but my fingers were painful, so I thought- why not try it anyway! It really did help- within a few days, a lot of the redness and tenderness was reduced. During the day, I made sure I wore bandaids (gauze against nail) just to prevent snagging as they were lifting and I did not want to lose them suddenly. I followed the tips listed above, and one more- no using the nails for prying- think lifting can tabs, etc. No need to put extra pressure on them. Do not be surprised if you see the same thing begin to happen with your toenails. All ten of my fingernails turned dark- I called them Zombie Nails, but I did not lose any of them. I had 4 (same two on both feet) turn dark, and I ended up losing the nails on the big toes. They grew back, but even now, 6 years after treatment, I do not consider them sandal worthy! The color is still off, and the shape is wonky. Didn't help that one grew in and was so damaged, I lost it a second time. Hang in there, the fingernails grow pretty fast, toenails (at least the big one) grow glacially slow!
The product I bought is called Polybalm and comes in a box of two tubes. Although the product is the same in both tubes, one is to be used for your hands, and the other for your feet. This way there is less chance of cross contamination, as it would be too easy to possibly transmit a fungal infection from toes to fingers. It is pricey, but is available on Amazon.
Good luck! Hugs!
Nail discoloration, including darkening or blackening, is a known side effect of breast cancer treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation. You're definitely not alone — many MyBCTeam members have experienced this too.
While it may not be fully preventable, here are some things that can help:
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