The Nail Change Top Dermatologists BEG Patients Not to Ignore… Because It Could Be a Sign of Aggressive Skin Cancer

A leading dermatologist has warned patients to pay close attention to their nail beds because a subtle change could indicate melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky, who goes by Instagram name @dermguru, warned her 1.2 million followers to take note of the streaky, dark spots under her fingernails and toenails.

“If you have a dark, vertical line running down your nail, you should definitely get it checked,” she said.

That’s because the dark lines could indicate subungual melanoma, a rare form of the disease that develops under the nail.

This type of condition can be easily overlooked, as the telltale sign is often mistaken for a bruise, warns Dr. Zubritsky.

The dark lines could be subungual melanoma, a rare form of skin cancer that develops under the nail.

Subungual melanomas usually appear as a dark brown or black streak.

The nail may also thicken, separate from the nail bed, and split in the middle.

Another worrying sign of the disease – which accounts for about one in 30 cases of melanoma – is when pigmentation begins to spread and the skin beyond the nail becomes discoloured.

But if the thickness of the nail changes and turns yellow, it could be another form of nail cancer: onychomatricoma.

Subungual melanomas often appear as a dark brown or black streak. The nail may also thicken, separate from the nail bed, and split in the middle because of the cancer, accounting for about one in 30 melanoma cases

Not all dark streaks on the nail are dangerous, many people have a benign streak, she explains

But black spots and streaks are not necessarily a sign of cancer.

Most often, they are a sign of a skin condition, a wart, or a microtrauma: a painless injury that can occur from repeatedly bumping your toe against your shoe.

It could also be a harmless pigmentation, namely longitudinal melanonychia.

“Not all dark streaks on the nail are dangerous. Many people have a benign streak on their nail called longitudinal melanonychia, which is completely normal,” Dr. Zubritsky adds in the video.

“It’s more likely to be benign if it’s lighter, doesn’t change color, occurs on multiple nails, or if you have a darker skin tone,” she said.

It also should not be confused with a subungual hematoma, where blood is trapped under the nail and usually grows away over time, she added.

But Dr. Zubritsky “implored” her followers to “see a dermatologist if anything new or changed with your skin, and don’t forget to check your nails.”