Toenail melanomas are similarly found on the skin, but they are on the skin under the toenail or thumbnail. This makes them less noticeable, especially for people who frequently wear dark nail polish. This is also the reason why most toenail melanomas are only treated or removed only when they have reached the most advanced stages of growth.
Fortunately, toenail melanoma is usually benign, in which case simple surgery can be done to remove the skin tumor. Since melanoma of the toenail is covered by the nail, the operation would also require partial or total removal of the covering nail.
All of this is done under local anesthesia, so there is nothing to worry about. With the advances in modern medicine, this surgery will only last about an hour.
The first symptom of this type of skin cancer is a small dark spot that resembles a mole. Toenail melanoma is often dark yellow, brown, or black in color.
In rare cases, the stain is colorless, making it difficult to detect. These types are the riskiest, especially if they turn out to be malignant. They can keep growing with the person who doesn’t even know they have it.
To differentiate between a normal mole and a melanoma on your toenails, you will have to observe the stain for a few days or even weeks. If the spot increases in size, there is a great possibility that it is melanoma on the toenails.
Although most toenail melanomas are benign, this is not certain. You should have a biopsy to determine the type of toenail melanoma you have.
Sometimes a melanoma of the toenail begins not as a spot but as a streak, similar to the white streaks that sometimes appear on the nail after trauma. If you notice these streaks on your nails without suffering any trauma to your nails, you should have your nail checked, as these may be the initial stages of a tumor.
Although this condition is generally called toenail melanoma, it can actually occur on any of the other nails as well. They appear much more frequently on toenails and thumbnails, but you should also check your other nails regularly.
Once you start to notice these changes in your nails, it is best to see a doctor immediately. Melanomas are still a type of cancer and, like other cancers, they are more easily treated if they are found early. In addition, since they are like any other tumor, you will have to undergo chemotherapy and radiation in case the melanoma of the nail turns out to be malignant.
Medical studies have shown that this particular type of melanoma, also called acral lentiginous melanoma in the medical community, is more common in Asians and other people with darker skin. However, Caucasians are not totally risk-free, as there have also been several cases of melanoma on the toenails in very fair-skinned people over the years.