Definition:
Subungual melanoma is a specific type of melanoma that occurs under the nail bed more commonly in dark-skinned people. Subungual melanoma causes a dark colored stripe that runs along the length of the nail plate , not across the nail. Just having a dark nail stripe is not necessarily melanoma. The following Signs make it more likely that a dark stripe is a subungual melanoma and should be evaluated by a dermatologist:
- Hutchinson's Sign - Spread of pigmentation into the nail folds
- Pigmentation in a single digit
- Occurs at age 50 or older
- Occurs in the thumb, index finger, or great toe
- Blurred borders
- History of melanoma
Pronunciation: sub-UN-gwul mel-uh-NO-muh • (noun)
