Dark stripes running down the nail

Dark stripes running down the nails (linear melanonychia) are fairly common in black people over 20 years of age, and in most cases it's perfectly normal.

However, dark stripes shouldn't be ignored because it can sometimes be a form of skin cancer that affects the nail bed, called subungual melanoma. It's important that your doctor checks it to rule out melanoma.

Subungual melanoma usually only affects one nail. It will also cause the stripe to change in appearance for example, it may become wider or darker over time and the pigmentation may also affect the surrounding skin (the nail fold).

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dez 2018