The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal

MAY 2014

The 2012 edition of The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal features medically reviewed, reader-friendly articles such as tanning, the increasing incidence of skin cancer diagnoses among young women, & the prevalence of melanoma among white males over 50.

Issue link: https://skincancer.epubxp.com/i/319518

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30 1 S K I N C A N C E R F O U N D A T I O N J O U R N A L Beauty & Anti-Aging erfectly polished fngernails and toenails in the boldest shades are the rage for fashionable females today. But what most women don't realize is that nail polish can hide melanomas that grow under the nail. As good as that polish looks, removing it regularly to check underneath should become part of your beauty and health regimen. Women and men alike need to be aware of these uncommon but poten- tially deadly skin cancers that can develop in the nail bed of a fnger or toe. Is there a Problem Beneath those Beautifully Polished Nails? An uncommon, deadly form of melanoma is often missed and frequently misdiagnosed Maral K. Skelsey, MD Spotting the problem Nail bed (subungual) melanoma is a type of skin cancer found under and around the nail plate. It is a relatively rare form of melanoma designated as acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM), an often virulent malignancy found on the extremities — the feet ( soles ), hands (palms) and nails, all hairless areas with mini- mal sun exposure. Subungual melanoma typically shows up on the nails of the thumb or big toe in one of two ways: as a dark brown to black streak that extends from the cuticle to the tip of the nail (called longitudinal melanonychia), or as a so-called

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