After Lauren Koltcz realised her nail had changed slightly, it was TikTok that encouraged her to see a specialist – and the teacher has revealed just how lucky she was that she listened
An American woman found out she had melanoma after noticing the nail on her thumb looked different to usual.
Lauren Koltcz said that at first she became aware of a slight change to the nail. “It started out as a tiny little brown line on the bottom of my nail. I was like, well, that’s odd,” she explained.
A doctor encouraged her to see a dermatologist, but Koltcz, from Ohio, “put it on the back burner” as she was busy with other things. However, after doing some research online, she realised it could be something much more serious than she had thought.
She explained: “I was scrolling on TikTok, and I happened to come across a dermatologist saying, ‘If you see these signs on your nails, make sure you go see your doctor very quickly.’ And I was like, oh, well, this doesn’t sound good.” After being seen by a specialist, the teacher was diagnosed with melanoma.
Allison Vidimos, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, said: “Her biopsy showed what’s called a melanoma in situ, what that means is that the melanoma cells are just in the upper layer of the skin. It was not invasive, so her outcome should be very good.”
In the end, the entire nail had to be surgically removed. Koltcz said: “It is rare, and it’s scary that it’s rare because a lot of people would not think to check their nails.”
Reflecting on the health scare, she warned: “I thought about my kids a lot during this whole process. And so, I beg people, please check everything. Don’t put it off. Prevention is key.”
Another sign that you should look out for in your nails, other than a dark streak, is dark skin appearing next to the nail. “When the skin around your nail becomes darker, it could be a sign of advanced melanoma,” the American Academy of Dermatology Association explained.
You should also make an appointment with a specialist if you notice your nail lifting from your fingers or toes, if your nail splits down the middle, or if you notice a bump or module under your nails.
The AADA said that nail melanoma is “often diagnosed at a more advanced stage than melanoma on the skin, making it more dangerous for your health”. It added: “If you notice any changes to your nails, including a new dark band on your nail, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist.”
The NHS advises keeping an eye on moles as they can be a sign of melanoma. While melanomas can appear anywhere on the body, they are more common in areas that are often exposed to the sun.
You should check your skin for any unusual changes such as moles that are uneven in shape or a mix of two or more colours. The NHS urges people to see a GP if they have a mole that is swollen, sore, bleeding, itchy, or crusty, as “finding a melanoma as early as possible can mean it’s easier to treat”.