Weird thing with DS's feet

[whatkungfuthat]

When I cut his toenails (he's 5) there are usually small black hairs under the nail, not growing or attached but just there. They are about 5mm long and thick. He has darkish blonde hair so they aren't even the right colour! They are vertical 'down' the nail rather than across so its not something that he has picked up with bare feet and when I pull them out the nail bed isn't inflamed like you would expect if a foreign body got in there, but they are not attached to anything either. I can only assume its a weird keratin thing Anyone else ever seen this?

It could be splinter haemorrages - I get them. Its when you get tiny bleeds under the nail and they clot along the nail grooves. If you google them, it will go on about heart stuff, but mine are just because I bleed easily

Thanks CMOT, do yours look and feel like hair? When I clip the nail they stick out the top and can be pulled out with a fingertip or tweezers.

Hmm - no, mine are soft and cut off with the nail. Might be worth mentioning to the gp next time you are there

Will do, its just so odd