“Why has a line appeared on my fingernail?”
Yesterday a nonpigmented vertical line appeared straight down my thumbnail. Any ideas of what it could be?
Female | 42 years old
5 Answers
A pigmented streak in the nail is something termed longitudinal melanonychia. This is fairly common in darker skin types. Other causes include trauma, medication side effects, inflammatory skin conditions or malignant tumors. Although this is usually benign, evaluation by a board certified dermatologist is best. This is especially important if the pigment is new, changing in color, size, shape, or spreading into the surrounding skin.
Usually, this is from an accident to the finger such as dropping a heavy object near the first joint. Not uncommon, but if the streak darkens, have your dermatologist examine it.
Lines that appear in the nail can be pigmented (melanonychia) or red (erythronychia) most commonly. The causes for these lines can vary and must be evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist in person to aid in proper diagnosis.
Trauma to the matrix (nail root) is a possibility but there are other possible causes. Should be evaluated by a dermatologist for correct answer
This needs to be seen by your dermatologist.
Suzanne Sirota Rozenberg, DO, FAOCD, FAAD
Suzanne Sirota Rozenberg, DO, FAOCD, FAAD
