Table of contents:
- What causes black lines on the nails?
- What are the symptoms that characterize subungual melanoma?
- How to diagnose this condition?
- Can subungual melanoma be treated?
Often overlooked, in fact the appearance of nails can be a sign of certain health problems. Normal fingernails should be pink and the shape and size that follows your finger. But sometimes, there is a change with black lines appearing on the nails which often worries you. Is this condition dangerous?
What causes black lines on the nails?
Maybe you are more familiar with melanoma, which refers to skin cancer. Although it is more common on the skin, melanoma can also occur on the nails, which is marked by the appearance of black lines on the nails. This condition is known as subungual melanoma.
In contrast to skin melanoma that grows on the surface of the skin, subungual melanoma develops in the nail matrix. The nail matrix is the main part whose job is to form keratin while protecting the tissue in the nail layers.
Most cases of skin melanoma are caused by exposure to sunlight, but not by the appearance of black lines on the nails. This condition can be triggered by injury, trauma, and often affects adults with darker skin. The appearance of black lines on the nails is quite difficult to identify because they often resemble bruises.
What are the symptoms that characterize subungual melanoma?
Again, different causes of skin melanoma are different from the symptoms that indicate the presence of subungual melanoma. The main symptoms of this condition include:
- Brown or black streaks appear on the nails without injury
- The nail line will expand with increasing size
- This black line does not go away even though the nail has grown lengthwise
- Nails are thin, brittle, and uneven in shape
- The skin around the nails tends to be darker
- Sometimes bleeding appears in the discolored nail area
The appearance of black lines on the nails often occurs on the toenails of the fingers and toes. Melanoma that continues to develop on the nails can lead to bleeding and nail deformities.
It is important to remember that not all cases of subungual melanoma are characterized by a change in nail color. Always consult your doctor if there are changes in the body that are considered abnormal.
How to diagnose this condition?
The black line on the nail that shows subungual melanoma is quite difficult to detect on your own. That is why, it is recommended that you check with your doctor if you find any unusual nail changes or growths.
First of all, the doctor will do a physical assessment of the nails first. If your condition is suspected of being subungual melanoma, the doctor will take a biopsy to take a small sample so that it can be further identified. A biopsy can also be used to remove skin cells and abnormal tissue around the nails.
If the diagnosis shows that the black line on the nail is subungual melanoma, then you may need to do some further tests to assess the extent of the spread of the cancer cells. The severity of subungual melanoma will be classified depending on how many cancer cells appear and the process of spread.
Can subungual melanoma be treated?
The only way to get rid of the dark lines on the nails caused by subungual melanoma is to have surgery. The goal is to stop the growth of abnormal tissue on the nails by taking part or even all of the nails.
However, if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, the treatment will be readjusted according to the severity. Your doctor may recommend radiation therapy, which plays a role in reducing pain as well as slowing the spread of cancer cells. Unfortunately, this therapy is not able to cure subungual melanoma completely.
