Q. There is a thin black line on my finger nail. Is it skin cancer or melanoma?
Hello doctor,
I am a 25 year old female. Two years back I had noticed a very thin black straight line on my nail in the right hand finger. This line is growing along as my nail grows. Though the line was thin initially, now it has increased in its width and thickness. When I searched in the net about the straight black line on my right hand forefinger, it is showing up as something related to skin cancer or melanoma. I am worried. Should I be concerned about this? I am not very dark, nor very fair. I have wheatish skin. Please advice me. I am attaching a snap of my finger with dark line for your reference.
Also, I used to have three moles on my left hand which had been there since my childhood, but to my surprise two years back they went off easily. I got another very small new mole at a different place on the same hand and that too went away when I scratched it off. Is this something normal?
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com. I can understand your concern.
I have gone through the attached picture (attachment removed to protect patient identity).
Presence of linear pigmented lines on the nails can be due to multiple causes. In white people they are considered abnormal and require thorough assessment including biopsy. In dark skinned people it is a common variant.
The most common cause of these lines is racial factors. Others being drugs, trauma, lichen planus, subungual nevi and malignant melanoma.
You do not have to worry too much, but do keep a watch on the pigmentation. If you notice any variation within the pigmented line or pigmentation on the adjacent nail fold or finger pulp, then consult a dermatologist in person and get yourself evaluated.
Regarding moles at other sites, it is sometimes possible that they can disappear. So you do not have to worry about that.
For further queries, consult a dermatologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/dermatologist
Was this answer helpful?
|Same symptoms doesn’t mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Related Questions:
Does radiation therapy increase the risk of melanoma?
Recently, a mole appeared in the areola region ... Read full
Is mole with hair a non-cancerous one?.. not have scratched it, because the chances of malignancy increase in otherwise benign mole. Presently what I can see is the erosion (attachment removed to protect patient identity) so at this stage even dermoscopy would not be able to find out malignan Read full
I got a shave biopsy for melanoma in situ. Did the cancer cells get into my bloodstream?I got a wide excision done, and it looks like there is still some of this mole left that was missed by the shave ... If there was still melanoma cells in this left over part of the mole, is there Read full
Also Read Answers From:
Comprehensive Medical Second Opinion.Submit your Case
iCliniq's FREE Newsletters
Expert-backed health and wellness information, delivered to your email.
Thank you for subscribing to our Newsletters!
Also Read
PCOS and Liver Problems
The hormonal imbalances in polycystic ovary syndrome could cause liver diseases. Read the article to know the relationship between these medical conditions. Read more»
Inferior Alveolar Nerve Lateralization Technique
The inferior alveolar nerve lateralization technique is a surgical lateralization technique to reposition the nerve. Read the article to know more about this. Read more»
COVID-19 and Ebola: Similarities and Differences
This article gives a comparison and broader overview of the outbreak of the two deadliest diseases that showed a greater incidence over the last two decades. Read more»
Ask your health query to a doctor online?
Ask a Dermatologist Now* guaranteed answer within 4 hours.