Noah Sinclair
Brown lines or dark stripes on the length of your fingernails or toenails (longitudinal melanonychia) can be caused by anything from vitamin deficiencies to cancer. Melanonychia is the medical word for a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails). Melanonychia can be caused by harmless pigment deposits or growths, injuries, infections, or cancer.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Longitudinal melanonychia or longitudinal striata |
| Description | Black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails) |
| Causes | Vitamin deficiencies, harmless pigment deposits or growths, infections, body-wide diseases, melanoma (skin cancer) |
| Treatment | If malignant or cancerous, the tumour or cancerous area must be removed |
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What You'll Learn
Melanonychia
A brown line on the nail is called longitudinal melanonychia or longitudinal striata. It is the most common type of melanonychia, a medical word for a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails). Longitudinal melanonychia can have many causes, from harmless pigment deposits or growths to infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer). Melanonychia can also be caused by an overproduction of melanin or an increase in melanocytes. These increases in melanin or melanocytes can be caused by harmless growths, injuries, infections, or cancer. A darkened streak on the nail bed does not necessarily mean that you have a disease, but if it’s persistent, affects a large part of a nail, or is associated with bleeding, you should consult a doctor.
If your melanonychia is malignant or cancerous, the tumour or cancerous area must be removed. That may mean you’ll lose all or part of your nail. A nail biopsy can also cause a structural irregularity because it removes a portion of the nail. A doctor can perform exams to determine whether melanonychia is malignant. Dark stripes on nails typically appear due to increased deposits of melanin, which gives skin its colour. Melanonychia can also be caused by not having enough of certain nutrients in your diet, including vitamin B12 and folate.
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Melanoma
A brown line on the nail is called longitudinal melanonychia or longitudinal striata. It is the most common type of melanonychia, a medical word for a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails). Longitudinal melanonychia can have many causes, from harmless pigment deposits or growths to infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer). Melanonychia can also be caused by an overproduction of melanin or an increase in melanocytes, which can be caused by harmless growths, injuries, infections, or cancer. A darkened streak on the nail bed does not necessarily mean that you have a disease, but if it’s persistent, affects a large part of a nail, or is associated with bleeding, you should consult a doctor. If your melanonychia is malignant or cancerous, the tumour or cancerous area must be removed. That may mean you’ll lose all or part of your nail. A nail biopsy can also cause a structural irregularity because it removes a portion of the nail.
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Vitamin deficiencies
Brown lines or dark stripes on the length of your fingernails or toenails (longitudinal melanonychia) can be caused by vitamin deficiencies, including a lack of vitamin B12 and folate.
Longitudinal melanonychia can have many causes, from harmless pigment deposits or growths to infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer). Your nails, hair, and skin are coloured by cells (melanocytes) that make a pigment called melanin. Melanonychia can be malignant or cancerous, and the tumour or cancerous area must be removed. This may mean you lose all or part of your nail.
If the reason for the lines is something harmless, you may not need to do anything other than keep an eye on your nails to make sure they don't change in other ways. If there's a specific cause that can be treated (like a skin disorder or cancer), your doctor will discuss the next steps. Longitudinal melanonychia can happen when there is an overproduction of melanin or an increase in melanocytes. These increases in melanin or melanocytes can be caused by harmless growths, injuries, infections, or cancer. A darkened streak on the nail bed does not necessarily mean that you have a disease, but if it's persistent, affects a large part of a nail, or is associated with bleeding, you should see your doctor.
Longitudinal melanocytosis can occur with several rare genetic disorders in which skin hyperpigmentation (excess pigmentation) is a common symptom. Genetic disorders occur because you have certain mutations in your genes. Many of these conditions are autosomal dominant, meaning that you only need to inherit the gene mutation from one parent to have the disease.
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Genetic disorders
A brown line on the nail is called longitudinal melanonychia or longitudinal striata. This is the most common type of melanonychia, a medical word for a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails). Longitudinal melanonychia can have many causes, from harmless pigment deposits or growths to infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer).
- Familial (hereditary) amyloidosis: a rare and potentially life-threatening disease that occurs when a protein called amyloid builds up in organs and tissues.
- Laugier-Hunziker syndrome: a rare disorder with hyperpigmentation of the mouth, lips, fingers, and nails, as well as a higher risk of cancer.
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome: a rare disorder that leads to benign polyps in the gastrointestinal tract and hyperpigmented lesions on the mouth, lips, nails, and fingers.
- Touraine syndrome: a rare, non-cancerous disorder that can cause hyperpigmentation of the skin and nails.
If you notice a brown line on your nails, it is important to see a doctor to determine the underlying cause. While longitudinal melanonychia can be harmless, it can also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as cancer. A doctor can perform exams to determine whether the melanonychia is malignant and recommend the best course of treatment.
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Infections
Brown lines or dark stripes on the length of your fingernails or toenails (longitudinal melanonychia) can be caused by infections. This is the most common type of melanonychia, a medical word for a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate (the hard part of toenails or fingernails). Longitudinal melanonychia can be caused by harmless pigment deposits or growths, but it can also be caused by infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer).
Longitudinal melanonychia can happen when there is an overproduction of melanin or an increase in melanocytes. These increases in melanin or melanocytes can be caused by harmless growths, injuries, infections, or cancer. A darkened streak on the nail bed does not necessarily mean that you have a disease, but if it’s persistent, affects a large part of a nail, or is associated with bleeding, you should consult a doctor.
A brown line on your nails can also be related to not having enough of certain nutrients in your diet, including vitamin B12 and folate.
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Frequently asked questions
A brown line on the nail is called longitudinal melanonychia or longitudinal striata. It can be caused by harmless pigment deposits or growths, injuries, infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin cancer).
A doctor can perform exams to determine whether melanonychia is malignant. If it is persistent, affects a large part of the nail, or is associated with bleeding, you should have your provider take a look.
If the reason for the lines is something harmless, you may not need to do anything other than keep an eye on your nails to make sure they don't change in other ways. If there is a specific cause that can be treated, your provider will discuss next steps.
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