Subungual Melanoma

Melanoma is a type of disease which appears on the skin of the patients. There are different types of melanoma and the number of people suffering from this disease is getting bigger on a daily basis. When it comes to subungual melanoma, we must point out that it is a specific type of melanoma which appears on the nail’s bed. It is considered to be a rare type and it doesn’t have a defined target group. It is found on the nail plate does not include the nail itself. Thus, once the patients see a dark stripe running along their nail plate they must immediately do the needed tests in order to be sure that it is not dangerous for their health. In addition, we must point out that the dark stripe is not always a sign of melanoma and that is why an in-depth analysis is more than necessary.

Signs of subungal melanoma

There are few signs and symptoms which show that the patient suffers from subungual melanoma. First of all, the patient’s melanoma family history is very important and it is always checked first. In addition, this type of melanoma usually appears in the index finger, the thumb or the great toe. People above 50 years old are more likely to suffer from this condition and once they perceive some of the signs mentioned in this article, they must immediately seek advice from a specialist. Another symptom of the condition is the spread of the pigmentation into the nail’s folds.

Subungal melanoma: the treatment

Subungual melanoma is diagnosed, the treatment process may incorporate several steps. As it was already mentioned, the condition usually appears on the thumb or the great toe. The blackish line in the nail plate can be cured with the help of the procedure known as formal biopsy. The biopsy is performed once the patient gets regional anesthesia. Nevertheless, this process is usually preceded by a process which confirms the existence of the hematoma by releasing the blood clotted under the nail through a puncture previously made. There are cases when the doctors remove a part of the nail plate as well, in order to make sure that the diagnosis of the condition is correct. Although this is not very frequent type of melanoma, it is easily discovered and it can be successfully cured.

Subungal melanoma: the treatment process

Once the regional anesthesia starts working, the doctors lift the nail plate from the nail bed and remove it. In addition, they make an elliptical incision which allows them to make the biopsy. The procedure does not last long and the patients don’t usually feel any serious consequences of the operation. Subungal melanoma may sometimes lead to amputation of the toe. However, this is the easiest way to treat the melanoma and provide the patient with a normal life in the future. It does not lead to serious consequences such as orthotic devices and specialized prosthesis. When it comes to the treatment of the melanoma on the hands, the process is more individualized and depends on the patient and their condition.