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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