Can you get a mole under your fingernail?
Share on Pinterest Subungual melanoma is a cancer that specifically develops under the nails. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that begins in the melanocytes, which are cells that have skin pigments. Collections of melanocytes can form moles. Some moles are cancerous, but many are not.
What does melanoma look like under the nail?
a light- to dark-brown colored band on the nail that’s usually vertical. a dark band on the nail that slowly expands and covers more of the nail. dark nail pigmentation that expands to the surrounding skin. a nodule underneath the nail with or without a pigmentation band.
Does nail melanoma start at the cuticle?
What does melanoma of the nail unit look like? Subungual melanoma often starts as a pigmented band visible the length of the nail plate (melanonychia). Over weeks to months, the pigment band: Becomes wider, especially at its proximal end (cuticle)
Does melanoma under nail grow out?
Many people first mistake subungual melanoma as a bruise. However, unlike a bruise, the streaks from subungual melanoma do not heal or grow out with the nail over time.
What does melanoma look like on the nail bed?
Sometimes melanoma looks like other conditions that affect the nail bed, such as a bruise. While subungual melanoma is a relatively rare condition compared to other skin cancers, it can lead to serious complications. Early detection and treatment is a must.
Can a nail be affected by subungual melanoma?
It’s important to note that not all cases of this condition cause pigmentation changes in the nail. While this can make the melanoma more challenging to detect, a telltale sign of the condition is that it usually affects one nail at a time. What causes subungual melanoma? Most cases of skin melanoma are caused by sun exposure.
What to do if you have melanoma under your nail?
Treatment To treat subungual melanoma, most healthcare providers will do a minor procedure to excise (cut out) the nail and surrounding nail bed. This procedure is known as a “wide local excision”, and is usually performed with local anesthesia (numbing). 2 Prognosis for nail melanoma
What causes skin to build up on the bottom of the nail?
Nail psoriasis involves many parts of the nail. In the hyponychium and nail bed, the skin cells grow excessively, causing scaling and buildup. This overgrowth is called subungual hyperkeratosis. The skin underneath the nail might look: If the skin becomes very thick, it can cause onycholysis, which is separation of the nail plate from the nail bed.
