Nail Bed Melanoma

The area with nodules under the nail bed may ooze fluid.

Nail bed melanoma. While subungual melanoma is a relatively rare condition compared to other skin cancers it can lead to. It can also cause your nail to rise up from your skin that is underneath. Trauma to the nail bed itself. However the potential causes may include.

Melanocytes are cells that produce melanin the pigment that gives skin hair and eyes their color. Melanoma is a type of cancer that develops in cells called melanocytes. Melanoma of the nail unit usually affects either a thumbnail or great toenail but any finger or toenail may be involved. It s rare but subungual melanoma melanoma of the nails accounts for approximately 2 of all melanoma cases.

Other types of melanoma rarely arising under the nails are nodular melanoma and desmoplastic melanoma. Subungual melanoma also referred to as cancer of the nail unit is a type of malignancy that arises in the tissues of the nail bed. Currently the exact cause of development of melanoma of nail unit is unknown. Two other symptoms of an advance case of subungual melanoma are hyper pigmentation of your skin or a nail bed that is damaged.

Melanoma on the extremities nails hands and feet is the rarest subtype of the skin cancer accounting for less than 5 of all melanomas patel said. But it makes up about a third of all. Subungal the issue is found in the nail bed or matrix and is under the nail. Causes and risk factors of subungal melanoma.

Bacterial or fungal infections of the nail bed. This is when a person has a streak that extends from the tip of the nail down to the nail bed and into the cuticle. Ungual the melanoma grows from underneath the nail plate. Periungual where the melanoma is found on the skin surrounding the edges of the toenail.

Sometimes melanoma looks like other conditions that affect the nail bed such as a bruise. I have found one reference on here to potential toe nail bed melanoma and that s it. Over 60 occur in the fingernails and about 40 occur in the toenails. If there is a new streak or it changes color or shape you should see your physician immediately.

Subungual melanoma begins in the nail matrix the part of the nail bed that protects the underlying skin. Most cases of subungual melanoma occur in the thumbnail or big toenail. What does a toenail melanoma look like. The cells may weep or bled but there is no pain.