Skin Cancer Signs on Darker Skin: Check Your Palms, Soles, Nails and Mouth
SkinArticleSkin cancer in Black, Latina, Asian, Native American and other women with darker skin is often found late, when it's harder to treat. It can show up where the sun rarely reaches, like the soles, palms, nails, mouth and genitals. Here is the American Academy of Dermatology's checklist of warning signs.
In this article
It’s a common myth that only people with light skin get skin cancer.1 When women with darker skin do get it, it’s often found at a later stage.12 Melanoma, the most serious type, is highly treatable when caught early.1
Where to look
On darker skin, skin cancer may appear in places that get little or no sun:1
- Soles of the feet
- Palms
- Fingers and toes
- Nails (fingernails and toenails)
- Mouth, inside or on the lips
- Buttocks, genitals and around the anus
Sun-exposed areas like the face and neck can be affected too.1
Warning signs to watch for
- A bump, spot or mole that’s growing, bleeding, itching or changing1
- A color change, especially darkening, on the skin, scalp, lips, mouth or genitals1
- A sore that doesn’t heal, or heals and comes back1
- A dark line or streak in a nail, or a spot under or around a nail that won’t heal1
- A scaly or rough patch that doesn’t go away1
Nail tip: a dark streak from melanoma doesn’t grow out the way a bruise does.1 Our guide to nail changes after 50 explains more.
Good to know: squamous cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer in Black people and people of South Asian descent, according to the AAD.1
Make checks easier
- Use a hand mirror for soles and a long mirror for your back.
- Check once a month in good light, and take photos of anything you’re watching.
- Ask for a full skin exam, including feet and nails, at your next visit. See our guides to skin self-exams and skin checks after 50.
Our article on a mouth sore that won’t heal covers spots inside the mouth.
Try: “I’ve noticed a dark streak in my toenail that wasn’t there last year. Can you check it and look at the rest of my feet and hands?”
Skin, Head to Toe includes a short-shelf planner and a 12-week SkinLog. Use them to photograph your soles, palms and nails each month. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. Please don't wait to have a changing spot checked. A spot that bleeds, grows quickly or doesn't heal should be seen promptly. If you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. This article discusses public health guidance. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- American Academy of DermatologyFinding skin cancer in darker skin tones (opens in a new tab)abcdefghijkl
- JAMA (abstract via Europe PMC), 2023Screening for Skin Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement (opens in a new tab)↩
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we’ll check it.
