Dermatologists care for people of all ages. How to check your nails from melanoma. This may look like a brown or black band in the nail often on the thumb or big toe of your dominant hand or foot. More rarely, a black toenail can be caused by malignant melanoma (cancerous cells), fungal infection, chronic ingrown nails, or diabetes. If your right foot is a little bigger than the left, the shoe on your right foot will have a tighter fit that may result in a hematoma, while the shoe on the left wont. We avoid using tertiary references. Since the prognosis of subungual melanoma gets worse the longer it takes to diagnose, its better to be safe and get any possible symptoms checked out and cleared as soon as they appear. You can also get toenail fungus from the overgrowth of fungi in, under, or on the nail. Initially, the doctor may use the ACBDEF method to help identify if the marks you have are cancerous. How to check your nails for melanoma. Skin cancer types: Melanoma Signs and symptoms In fact, it may also spread to other parts of the body, if not treated on time. These melanomas can appear anywhere on the body, including underneath fingernails and toenails. See additional information. Foot Melanoma: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments 2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK. A doctor will conduct a physical assessment of the fingernail and ask questions about symptoms. You might think that it is just a brown spot under your toenail, but it does mean that you need to seek some help. We can help. If there is a new streak, or it changes color or shape you should see your physician immediately. Association with trauma. I - Ice the toe to help reduce any inflammation and pain that you may be having. It may be a fungal infection, but theres a good chance that another condition could be to blame. Last medically reviewed on December 13, 2021. Also Check: What Happens When Squamous Cell Carcinoma Spreads. It can also be found on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet. These melanomas can appear anywhere on the body, including underneath fingernails and toenails. We're StrutHealth!Were a modern healthcare company that provides personalized care from the comfort of your home (or phone). Aside from looking like a changing mole, a melanoma on the foot can appear as a: Brown or black vertical line under a toenail, New spot or growth where you injured your foot, Rapidly growing mass on your foot, especially where you once injured your foot. What Do the Symptoms of Stage 4 Melanoma Look Like? 21-year-old details spotting skin cancer on nail. It killed reggae legend Bob Marley at 36 after it showed up as a dark spot under his toenail.