A bruised and blackened toenail can take about 3 months to be completely replaced with a new nail. The treatment for bruising and blackening under the nail after toe trauma depends on the severity of the injury. If the nail is slightly bruised, the nail bed and other soft tissues are not broken, and the pain is mild, cold compresses can be applied within 48 hours to reduce swelling, and hot compresses after 48 hours, and oral medication to promote swelling and pain relief. If the injury is more severe and separation of the nail from the nail bed has occurred, the nail can be surgically removed and the cracked nail bed can be sutured. Regular post-operative medication changes, oral antibiotics to prevent infection, and oral pain medication to relieve pain can usually heal in about 2 weeks, but it takes about 3 months for a new nail to grow. In addition, patients should also be careful to avoid standing for long periods of time and wear comfortable shoes during the recovery period.