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Nail discoloration in pediatric skin of color patients

Jane Sanders Bellet1

  • 1Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.

Pediatric Dermatology
|July 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Dark nail pigmentation in children, including brown, gray, and black hues, is usually benign. While melanoma is a rare concern, most pediatric nail pigmentations require no treatment, easing parental anxiety.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Dermatology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Nail pigmentation in children can cause parental and clinical anxiety.
  • Various colors like yellow, orange, and green can manifest, but this paper focuses on dark pigments (brown, gray, black).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the causes of dark nail pigmentation in pediatric patients.
  • To differentiate benign causes from rare malignant conditions like melanoma.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of pediatric nail pigmentation.
  • Focus on differential diagnosis of dark nail discoloration in children.

Main Results:

  • Most causes of dark nail pigmentation in children are benign.
  • Benign conditions typically do not require treatment.
  • Melanoma is an extremely rare diagnosis in pediatric patients presenting with nail pigmentation.

Conclusions:

  • Dark nail pigmentation in children is predominantly caused by benign conditions.
  • Clinical vigilance is necessary to rule out rare but serious diagnoses like melanoma.
  • Reassurance and conservative management are appropriate for most pediatric nail pigmentations.

Keywords:
dyschromiamelanomamelanonychianail matrix nevus

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