Terrified I have Melanoma

[DeloresAmelia]

Hi, I have developed two black lines on the nail of my big toe. I currently have a nail infection that i discovered a few months ago and I'm treating it. I want to believe that its just splinter haemorrhages from filling and pulling at the nail (i used tiny scissor to lift part of the nail up). But I’m really freaking out its nail melanoma, keep reading about it and looking at pictures. There seems to be another black line at the edge, near the nail fold. Has anyone experienced this?

[MrsSchadenfreude]

No, but it is much more likely to be due to your nail infection. Please see a doctor to put your mind at rest! My melanoma looked nothing like the ones on posters, it just looked like a pale brown freckle to the naked eye.

[DeloresAmelia]

Thanks for replying. I’m trying to be rational but every so often I freak out. I only discovered the infection in Dec and the black lines appeared after I started clipping and filling my nail right down. I know I should go get it looked at but I’m terrified of he doctors.

[Flyingarcher]

I had this in September. Having gone through breast cancer, I'm perhaps a bit more freaky than otherwise. Anyway, had two GPs staring at big toe and they referred me. In that time my nail had grown a tidge so I had about 2mm clearish if you squinted at the nail bed. I was worried but knew if it was something horrid then I had caught it esrly. People die of this cancer because they leave it years so it goes into lymph nodes and bones. Also, like a nork, a big toe is lopable off. Anyway saw the lovliest consultant ever who diagnosed haematoma. It grew out eventually and from two weeks ago is now clear. I think yours sounds similar. If your nail bed is clear then likely to be haematoma. Go to gp and get on the dermatology pathway. Better to get it checked.

[Lizzibell]

I freaked out when I found a bunch of those developing under my fingernails, but then I read that damage to the nail bed is usually the most common cause, usually sustained a couple of weeks before the splinters occur, so you usually forget about that time you trapped your finger in a drawer or caught it with a hammer etc. You didn't drop anything on your foot did you? Or stub your toe?

[DeloresAmelia]

No, didn’t hurt my foot as far as I can remember. Just when I realised I had a fungal infection on my toe nail I started clipping the nail right down and even used tiny sharp scissors to put inside my nail, horrible I know! I’m hoping that’s what caused the lines, they don’t start at the cuticle they start almost half way up the nail.

[Lizzibell]

If it's just on one nail it probably is down to pulling your toe about. From what I remember if it happens on multiple nails and you have a LOT of them, then it's something to be concerned about

[DeloresAmelia]

I’m trying to tell myself that, but so scared it’s melanoma. I read it appears as a dark line down your nail, mostly on your big toe or thumb.