How can you tell the difference between nail fungus and melanoma?

How can you tell the difference between nail fungus and melanoma?

Diagnosing subungual melanoma vs. nail fungus

• brown or black bands of color that increase in size over time.
• change in skin pigment (darkening around the affected nail)
• splitting nail or bleeding nail.
• drainage (pus) and pain.
• delayed healing of nail lesions or trauma.
• separation of the nail from the nail bed.

How do you know if you have a subungual melanoma?

‌ ‌You have a brown-black colored band on your nail that is larger than three millimeters in size with irregularly shaped edges. The discoloration grows, and at what rate it does so. It’s in the nail bed of your thumb, big toe, or index finger, although it can be seen in other fingers and toes.

What can be mistaken for subungual melanoma?

Some conditions that may look similar to subungual melanoma include: onychomycosis, which is fungal nail infection. paronychia, an infection of the nail bed. pyogenic granuloma, which are overgrowths of nail tissue.

Can skin cancer look like a fungal infection?

Skin Cancer May Mimic a Fungal Infection It’s important to see your dermatologist right away if you notice a sore or skin infection that won’t heal. This is a classic sign of skin cancer and should never be ignored.

What are the signs of nail cancer?

What are the symptoms of subungual melanoma?

• a light- to dark-brown colored band on the nail that’s usually vertical.
• a dark band on the nail that slowly expands and covers more of the nail.
• dark nail pigmentation that expands to the surrounding skin.
• a nodule underneath the nail with or without a pigmentation band.

Does melanoma show up in blood work?

Blood tests. Blood tests aren’t used to diagnose melanoma, but some tests may be done before or during treatment, especially for more advanced melanomas. Doctors often test blood for levels of a substance called lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before treatment.

How does your body feel when you have melanoma?

hard or swollen lymph nodes. hard lump on your skin. unexplained pain. feeling very tired or unwell.

Where does toenail melanoma start?

What is subungual melanoma? Subungual melanoma is a type of melanoma in the nails. Unlike other types of nail melanoma that grow in the surrounding skin, this type begins in the nail matrix. The nail matrix is a part of the nail bed that protects the underlying skin.