1. Melanocytes of the Nail.- 2. Epidemiology of Melanonychias.- 3. Clinical Evaluation: clinical features, worried signs, ABCDEF rule.- 4. Dermoscopy of the nail plate, nail matrix and nail bed.- 5. Hypermelanosis (melanocyte activation).- 6. Lentigo and nevus.- 7. Subungual Melanoma.- 8. Melanonychia in Children.- 9. Non-melanocytic Melanonychia.- 10. Histologic analysis of the nail plate in the diagnosis of melanonychia and other nail pigmentation.- 11. Biopsy.- 12. Histopathological analysis.- 13. Treatment of Nail Unit Melanoma.
Nilton Di Chiacchio: MD; PhD. Professor of Dermatology, Universidade de São Amaro, Brazil. Head of Dermatology Clinic, Hospital do Servidor Público Municipal de São Paulo, Brazil. Author of several publications on international journals, most of them on the field of nails health. Co-Editor of the book Nail Surgery
Antonella Tosti: MD; PhD. Professor of Clinical Dermatology at the Miller School of Medicine of the University of Miami. Former Professor of Dermatology at the University of Bologna, for 20 years. Dr. Tosti is a worldwide reference in hair and nais disorders. She is member of many dermatological societies including the ADA, AAD, EADV, WDS and ISD. She is author of more than 600 publications and 20 books, several of them very successfully with Springer.
The purpose of this book is to guide the dermatologist and the general physician in the differential diagnosis and treatment of melanonychias. Melanonychia is a longitudinal pigmentation of the nail and it is considering a common presenting problem in general dermatology. The differential diagnosis varies from subungual hematoma to a fungal infection to a melanocytic lesion (hypermelanosis, lentigo, nevus, and melanoma) among others. Melanonychia may also indicate an early stage of nail melanoma, and its diagnosis remains a challenge among dermatologist. A recent publication on Dermatologists accuracy in early diagnosis of melanoma of the nail matrix showed that in situ melanoma of the nail matrix is very difficult for dermatologists to diagnose, regardless of the level of their experience. On Melanonychias the reader will find a complete discussion about all the most important topics on this condition, since its basic aspects (such as nail anatomy and epidemiology) until applied topics (including clinical features, nail biopsy and treatment).