You’ve probably covered the basic things you can do to reduce your skin cancer risk: Wear sunscreen, avoid tanning beds, and get any suspicious moles checked out by a doctor. But no matter how diligent you may try to be about protecting every vulnerable inch of your skin, there’s one part of the body you likely overlook: your nails.
What if that’s skin? The nail matrix is where the nail melanoma begins. Below are some pictures of how to pronounce the word “youthfulness” Ife Rodney, MD is a board-certified Dermatologist and founder of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics located in Fulton Maryland. She tells SELF that she believes the nail plate or hard part, which you may bite or paint, is what people are referring to. “This area contains melanin-producing melanocytes that give your nails their natural pigment,” Dr. Rodney explains. “But when these cells multiply uncontrollably, it can lead to melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.”
Only 2%-3% of all diagnoses of melanoma are Acral lentiginous Melanoma. This includes all skin cancers that occur on your palms, soles, or under your nails. When people talk about skin cancer in the nails specifically, chances are they’re referring to an even rarer subtype of ALM called subungual melanoma. Sub- means beneath, and -ungual is nail.
But it is treatable if you catch this melanoma early. But it’s still treatable. You can also read about how to get in touch with us. be tricky to spot, since the symptoms (which don’t resemble a sketchy-looking mole) are often only visible in later stages of the disease. So we asked two dermatologists to break down everything you need to know—including how to check your fingers and toes for major warning signs.
What causes nail cancer exactly?
Surprisingly, excessive sun exposure isn’t thought to be the main cause of skin cancer in the nails, Michael Cameron, MD, founder of Cameron Dermatology and assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai Department of Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF. “It’s most likely due to genetics,” he explains. “The extent to which other possible risk factors, like ultraviolet (UV) exposure or repeated [physical] trauma, contribute is unclear.” (Research supports that people who have a first-degree relative with ALM have a higher chance of developing it themselves.)
Subungual Melanoma: The most common form of malignant melanomas among Asians, Hispanics and African Americans. It accounts for 75% (!) of the melanomas that are diagnosed in Blacks. Dr. Cameron explains that this doesn’t necessarily mean race or ethnicity alone will increase the risk: “It may just indicate that people in these groups don’t get other, more common melanomas as often as fairer-skinned people do.” (Worth noting: It’s a total myth that you shouldn’t worry about skin cancer if you have a deeper complexion. While it’s true that Black people are less likely to get melanoma in general, they have a much higher risk of dying from the disease than folks with lighter skin, and several complex factors might contribute to this racial disparity).