Streaks on nails can be a warning sign for melanoma

Have you ever noticed that natural nails or toenails appear brown or black stripes? There are many causes behind them, some of which are extremely serious health problems, the most serious of which may be melanoma on the nail or melanoma. Under the nail ( subungual melanoma ) - a common deadly skin cancer. Pay attention to the stripes that appear on your fingernails and toenails because that may be a warning sign for melanoma (Melanoma)!

Melanoma melanoma is probably the most common skin cancer. The condition of the nail color changes to appear dark stripes of melanonychia longitudinal ( arrows ) due to the production of excess melanin in the nail area. Striped streaks on the nails are sometimes caused by " nail moles, " similar to swallowing flies that grow in other parts of the body. Although it may not develop into serious illnesses, it still needs to be monitored regularly. In particular, nail spots often appear more common in young children.

Bold stripes or dark stripes on nails and toenails appear quite common in people of color. Experts estimate that about 70% of African Americans over the age of 20 appear to have stripes on their fingernails / toenails and almost all African-Americans over 50 have a discolored pigment. Besides, only about 10 to 20% of Japanese people have nail pigmentation and it will appear 2% less than white people.

Nail discoloration is found in melanoma ( subungual melanoma ) with the highest incidence in areas of the body, so any discoloration on your fingernails or toenails should also go to Check by a dermatologist. The dermatologist will examine the symptoms based on the order list from A to F to rule out melanoma.

1. A: Age. Subungual melanoma (subungual melanoma) is common in people aged 50 to 70 years.
2. B: Brown / black striped lines wider than 3cm.
3. C: Changes are noted in the process of changing pigmentation.
4. D: Appears on any finger / toe. The thumb is the most frequent place, followed by the index finger and then the little finger.
5. E: Extend the discoloration range in the epidermis or the deep skin layer in the corner of the nail ( called the Hutchinson sign ).
6. F: The medical history of everyone in the family.

In addition, there are many different reasons that nail pigmentation occurs: Nail injuries, medications, systemic diseases, lack of vitamins and other skin conditions may also appear more than a long stripe. on the skin. The dermatologist will examine the entire biopsy of your health status to determine the next steps.

If your fingernails or toenails are suspected of having melanoma on the nail, your doctor will perform a small biopsy.

If nails / toenails are identified with melanoma, surgery will be done to completely remove melanoma and Mohs ( Mohs micrographic surgery - a Special surgical procedures are particularly effective in the treatment of the two most common types of skin cancer , in which the cure rate is very high, achievable.

Another thing to note is that women need to pay more attention than men to monitor the health of their nails / toenails, because women often paint their nails or apply acrylic nails to cover them all. The nail set makes it difficult to observe any changes on the nail. Make sure you can distinguish between nail polish or nail treatments so you can see your nails and toenails clearly and see any signs of color change. If you notice that the nail pigment changes more and more, don't delay coming to the doctor so you can quickly find out what the condition is!

Refer to some more articles:

1. What is the reason why many people like to bite their nails so much?
2. 25 cheap foods rich in nutrients and vitamins you need to know
3. New finding: Drinking 1 glass of wine has the same effect as 1 hour of gym

Having fun!