A woman has shared an important warning today, after ‘discovering’ a client’s cancer through her nails.
Jean Skinner took to a Facebook group for her local community, Uckfield, to spread the story.
She was doing the nails of a client a few weeks ago, when she noticed ‘a straight, dark, vertical stripe’ down the centre of her thumbnail. She shared the photographic evidence to the page.
“[The client] said as soon as she sat down, ‘I need a colour dark enough to cover this stripe’,” Jean recalled.
Apparently, previous salons had tried to diagnose the cause of the line, with suggestions ranging from calcium deficiency to a blood blister. It seemed like something completely different to Jean, however.
“This is melanoma!” she wrote. “I did not want to frighten her, but I told her she needed to see her doctor immediately.”
It turns out that Jean’s worst fears for her client were confirmed.
She added: “She called me today to tell me that, yes, it was a very aggressive melanoma that has already spread to her lymph nodes! Her prognosis is not good.”
Now, Jean wants to make sure that others are aware of some of the more subtle signs of cancer.
“Odd changes in your nails can very likely be nothing to worry about. But, sometimes, it is an indication of a very serious disease,” she warned.
“And please keep an eye on the nail beds – toes and fingers – of your elderly loved ones, and your loved ones that aren’t physically able to notice changes in the nail beds. Early diagnosis can make all the difference in the world.”
While a relatively low percentage of melanoma occurs in the nail, typical signs include a brown or black vertical line on the nail and/or cuticle.
At a time when so many posts are shared regarding moles, lumps or dimples; it’s so important to raise awareness of lesser-known signs and symptoms.
Be sure to bear Jean’s post in mind, and share it with a friend – it could just save someone’s life.
