
Light Brown Streak In The Left Hand Thumb Nail. What Could This Be?

Question: I have a light brown streak going down the length of my left hand thumb nail. I'm Caucasian and haven't experienced any trauma to my hand. Just happen to notice it in the past week so I can't really tell you how long it has been there. I feel like I would have noticed it previously, but who knows. It only appears on one nail.
Brief answer....it is called as melanonychia.
Detailed answer...
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
Melanonychia is actually the presence of melanin pigment in the nail plate.
It generally presents as longitudinal band but can cover the entire nail or may present as transverse band also.
Sometimes melanonychia can occur due to trauma,fungal infections,drugs like anti malarials and sometimes due to skin conditions like psoriasis or lichen planus.
For proper diagnosis,you would have to consult a dermatologist ,who can perform a biopsy and get to the diagnosis.
I hope it helps however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck
Thanks
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

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