My nails are coming away from their bed

[polly610]

My fingernails are coming away from the skin just slightly down from the whites and I wonder if I've over-manicured or could it be a fungal growth? I now have to scrub my nails at least once a day as there is always a line of dirt regardless of how I've used my hands. I've tried soaking them in warm soapy water but this has absolutely no effect, the line of dirt appearing to be steadfast. If I leave them the dirt just mounts up, which not only looks disgusting but feels it also. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do? Can they grow back to normal?

[polly610]

Thanks for your response, though that has made me re-read my query and I perhaps wasn't too clear. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately!), the black line is definitely dirt as after scrubbing and scrubbing deeply with a nylon brush it does come out. I'm obviously making it worse doing this but it's the only thing that works.
I used to have such healthy nails:(

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
These black lines can be due to can be due to longitudinal melanonychia(presence of a pigmented stripe, usually brown or black, along the length of the nail bed in darker-skinned individuals,splinter hemorrhages or Beau’s lines(they are horizontal lines of darkened cells and depression).Without examination, it is difficult confirming a diagnosis and so I would suggest a dermatologist’s evaluation.
I hope it helps. Take care and regards.