Photo warning Fungal toenail or subungual melanoma? HeLp!!

[ToeIssues81]

Slightly worried last night as spotted side of my toenail is black (sorry for the grim toenail photos) . I am South Asian hence concerned about subungual melanoma as it’s much more common (thanks Dr Google) amongst Asians.

I also have a bit of gel left at the top of the toe! Apologies. Photos attached and thoughts welcome!

It looks fungal at the side but worth getting checked out.

Thanks @Cattyisbatty I’ve called surgery for appointment. Dr will call me back. I will update here.

I’m sure pharmacy can give you something for nail fungal infection, which it looks like.

@Mindymomo i’d rather surgery tells me
if it’s deffo fungal. I am seeing a Physician’s associate

It looks fungal.
Not the query, but your nails look like they're cut very short. Be careful of that as I ended up with an ingrown toenail from cutting too short, and it was v painful.

Looks fungal to me as well.

I would go to the pharmacist. How long have you had it?

Don't see a PA about this - it's important. Ask for appointment with a GP instead: a qualified doctor.

The PA doesn’t know what it is, he said he has seen the melanoma before but he’s not sure. He said my toes look red but that’s because I walked to the surgery and my feet were hot.

He’s asked me to send photos and he’ll show a GP. He also said if it is the melanoma then it’s localised? I’m trying to get in with a podiatrist.

I’ve only noticed it this week

Another photo

If I don’t use a flash then it doesn’t look fungal

Without a flash

It looks normal to me - here's mine!

My big toenail looked a bit worse than that, I knew it wasn't a cancer as the whole toenail next to it was also brown and fungusy and looked the same. I applied fungal treatment and it did grow out, it took a long time and still looks a bit yellowish. I would see the GP as obviously the wait for growing out is long and it's just one toe but it does look similar to how mine did

I’m hoping to see a podiatrist who I guess sees more feet! Annoying I got a PA

I do have a 50% increased risk of the cancer cos I’m Asian so I’d like to know what it is. The PA didn’t know what it is was, I’ve sent pics to the surgery for a doctor to see. I’m minded to to request a GP appointment.

Just thought I’d update after the podiatrist trip.

Podiatrist not worried.
It’s either an injury and then healthy nail will grow
Or hyper pigmentation then it’ll stay
If it goes yellow then a fungal nail but he didn’t think it was fungal. He cut some away and said it looks healthy.
If it goes darker and spreads and then cancer but he said in 20 years he’s seen that twice

He thinks it’s more than likely that it’s hyper pigmentation.

He clearly doesn’t know what he is talking about. Melanomas being ‘localised’ means nothing as they spread through the blood stream so you don’t know if they are localised without a biopsy. I’m glad you’ve seen the podiatrist and have sent pictures into the GP.

Thanks @MsFaversham the Podiatrist has asked me to keep an eye on it, 3 months for growth. I’m still worried! The PA was hopeless, he asked me if I was losing weight etc to see if I had other symptoms of cancer, well it’s a but bloody late by then isn’t it.

the podiatrist has over 20 years experience and he said he has referred people back to the GP in the past and he’s not worried.

hyper-pigmentation seems to be the main thing here.

Interestingly the podiatrist said not to use a flash for photos, the best thing to do is put a light over it then take a photo.

I wouldn’t see a PA for anything but, luckily, my practice doesn’t employ them. Podiatrists are very well trained and would definitely refer you if they thought there was good reason but if you are worried go back and see a GP. Best of luck.