Catalog

Longitudinal melanonychia

No MMS code

Link to WHO Definition

Longitudinal melanonychia – http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1584685171

Longitudinal melanonychia describes the presence of one or more pigmented streaks arising from under the proximal nail fold and extending towards the free edge of the nail. It is a normal finding in people with deeply pigmented skin but in people with lightly pigmented skin may be the first sign of a nail unit melanoma. More commonly, however, it is due to a benign junctional melanocytic naevus of the nail unit. It may be necessary to perform a biopsy of the nail matrix to distinguish the two.