What does dark lines in your fingernails mean?

Another cause of black lines on the nails is a splinter hemorrhage, which occurs when blood vessels under the fingernail are damaged, often due to injuries, such as hitting. More seriously, a black line or lines on the nails can indicate the presence of melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer.

What does melanoma look like under the nail?

Subungual melanoma often starts as a brown or black streak under a toenail or fingernail. A person may mistake it for a bruise. Share on Pinterest A bruised nail, and dark streaks or stains on the nail with no known cause, may be signs of subungual melanoma.

What deficiency causes nails to break?

Nutritional deficiencies Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiency causes of cracked nails. The body also requires proteins and B vitamins to effectively build strong, healthy nails.

How long can you have melanoma without knowing?

How long can you have melanoma and not know it? It depends on the type of melanoma. For example, nodular melanoma grows rapidly over a matter of weeks, while a radial melanoma can slowly spread over the span of a decade. Like a cavity, a melanoma may grow for years before producing any significant symptoms.

Does melanoma grow out with the nail?

Many people first mistake subungual melanoma as a bruise. However, unlike a bruise, the streaks from subungual melanoma do not heal or grow out with the nail over time.

Why do I have black lines under my fingernails?

Black line on the nail. A narrow black line that has formed vertically underneath your nail is called a splinter hemorrhage. It occurs for a variety of reasons and may be harmless or a sign of a more serious health condition. This condition is called a splinter hemorrhage because it may look like a wood splinter under your nail.

Can a black line on your nail be cancer?

A woman has shared a warning in which she claims that finding a black line down your nail could be a sign of cancer.

When to see a doctor about a dark line on your nail?

If you find a dark line, you should see your doctor to check it isn’t melanoma. “Subungual melanoma usually only affects one nail,” the NHS explains. “It will also cause the stripe to change in appearance – for example, it may become wider or darker over time and the pigmentation may also affect the surrounding skin (the nail fold).”

What to do if your fingernails are brown?

If your fingernails are brown or black… “If your nail is brown or black, the most important thing to worry about is a nail melanoma,” (a.k.a. the most serious form of skin cancer ), says Shari Lipner, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist and director of the nail division at Weill Cornell Medicine.