What should you know about melanoma thumb nail?

Melanoma can begin in the nail unit and may look like a brown or black vertical band. Concerning change can include widening, uneven colour, irregular edges, pigment on the surrounding cuticle or skin, nail splitting, lifting, or a persistent dark area.

Injury, a bruise, infection, medication, or other benign causes can also alter a nail. A clinician may examine the nail with magnification and compare both hands before deciding whether tissue sampling is needed.

Do not remove the nail or repeatedly scrape the mark. Take clear photographs from the same angle, record any injury, and note whether the band is moving outward as the nail grows. Arrange a dermatology assessment for a new or changing mark.

Tell the clinician about trauma, nail treatments, medicines, immune conditions, and any personal or family history of skin cancer. These details help frame the examination without replacing it.

Book a prompt review for a band that changes, widens, affects the surrounding skin, causes nail distortion, or does not grow out after an injury should have healed. Seek urgent care for severe infection signs, rapidly increasing swelling, or uncontrolled bleeding.

Ask what features make the mark concerning, whether photographs or follow-up are suitable, and when biopsy would be considered. Ask how to protect the nail while waiting and how results would affect further care.