Worrying mark on toe

[Thepollonator]

I've got this on my big toe nail and I'm worried sick that it is a melanoma. I'm waiting on a referal to see a skin specialist but the wait is making me worry. Anyone any thoughts?

How long has it been there?

About 3 months

looks like a bruise to me

I would get that checked.

What makes you think it's melanoma as opposed to a bog standard bruise from a knock that growing upwards and out

Because it does look like a melanoma....

I've had it quite a while and it's not got any better, I haven't knocked my toe. Plus I made the fatal mistake of googling it

I would get that checked out.

Is it growing up? So is the bottom part of it moving up? I think your right getting it checked. I had something similar but the whole thing grew up and disappeared once it hit the top

Me too - and I tend to swerve my GP surgery for as long as I can get away with. 🌹

Yes, definitely get that looked at if you have had it 3 months.

It seems to have grown downward.

Get it checked by a dermatologist, obviously, which you are doing.

In the meantime, if you zoom in on the photos, the dark mark looks blotchy and the nail is discoloured/paler around the dark mark. It looks like it might be a fungal infection to me. Try Googling toenail fungal infection. Do you have athletes foot? Is the nail a bit flaky when you cut it or is it a bit smelly?

Mine was fungal but it did eventually grow out. It can spread down but in my experience it did always eventually grow out. Is any of the nail white? Like it's been roughly filed? I really hope it's nothing