When David Edges’s wife spotted a faint brown line on his toenail, he didn’t think it was anything to worry about.

But Kelly, 47, a skin specialist in the beauty industry, was instantly concerned, having learned about skin cancer that develops under the nail during her training back in 1997.

The mom-of-two told Newsweek that her 52-year-old husband’s toenail was dismissed twice by doctors.

“I encouraged him to see a doctor because he hadn’t damaged his nail by hitting it, so it was totally random,” Edges said.

“However, they weren’t concerned and just advised keeping an eye on it, so that is all we could do.”

For over a year, from May 2022, the toenail looked the same. But then, suddenly, in October 2023, the line widened and appeared darker. David went back to the doctor and was sent home with a diagnosis of a potential fungal infection.

“David was relaxed because a professional said it was fine, but I was stressed out because my gut feeling was telling me it wasn’t good,” Edges said.

In January 2024, the couple sought private health care, and their concerns were taken seriously from the start. A biopsy was performed, and eight weeks later, the results revealed it was subungual melanoma, a type of acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM).

“Knowing what I know, this diagnosis was music to my ears, but David was worried after hearing those words,” Edges said.

What Is Subungual Melanoma?

Newsweek reached out to Dr. Kelly Olino, a surgical oncologist, to learn more about the disease that affects 0.7 to 3.5 percent of all melanoma cases in the general population.

Olino, the director of the Smilow Melanoma Program at Yale Cancer Center, explained that it is a subtype of melanoma that arises underneath the nail bed.

“Subungual melanomas arise from normal cells deep in the skin responsible for making pigment in our body called melanocytes. They are the same cells that give rise to typical UV-related melanoma. However, these are not related to exposure to the sun.”

Subungual Melanoma Symptoms

To an untrained eye, a discolored nail could look like a bruise or result of stubbing your toe. But trauma to a nail should improve over a week or a few months.

Olino has shared the top three symptoms of subungual melanoma:

• An area of pigment underneath the nail bed that is growing
• Thicker than 3 mm
• Irregular borders or involve the skin below or around the nail

Risk Factors for Subungual Melanoma

“Given the rarity of the diagnosis, there are no known causal factors for the development of subungual melanomas. It is hypothesized that trauma may be associated with this. However, this is challenging to discern, as it may be trauma itself that may draw a patient’s attention to the problem,” Olino said.

According to Moffitt Cancer Center & Research in Florida, the likelihood of developing subungual melanoma may increase if one or more of the following risk factors are present:

• Age over 50
• Light-colored hair, fair skin, and/or freckles
• A high number of moles
• A condition that weakens the immune system (e.g., HIV)
• A family history of melanoma or other skin cancers
• A history of injury to the affected nail

Edges told Newsweek that her husband exhibited three “red flags” for subungual melanoma: he was 50 years old at the time of diagnosis, had moles on his body, and had fair skin, all of which increased his susceptibility to the cancer.

Subungual Melanoma Treatment

Six weeks later, he underwent surgery, which involved a skin graft from his thigh and the removal of his toenail.

Another six weeks later, he was given the all-clear. More recently, Edges posted about it on Instagram (@kellymaria_thebeautyroom).

Edges told Newsweek: “I want to raise awareness to help people become more mindful of any changes in their skin. Get it looked at and be persistent.”

One Instagram user commented: “What a fantastic post Kelly!! And well done you for being so observant. It’s also amazing how you documented with photos too. A fantastic reference what to look for and could save somebody’s else’s life too. Cancer can often be so swift and we put it down to ‘it’s nothing to worry about,’ so knowing these signs and info are very much worthwhile!”

Another person commented: “Thank you…thank you..thank you for this post. A very rare melanoma, if diagnosed early can be treated and does not have to be terminal.”

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