Melanonychia striata is characterized by a tan, brown, or black longitudinal streak within the nail plate that runs from the proximal nail fold to the distal part of the nail plate. Melanonychia striata is due to increased activity of melanocytes or melanocytic hyperplasia in the nail matrix with subsequently increased melanin deposition in the nail plate. The most common cause of melanonychia striata associated with melanocytic activation is ethnic melanonychia which occurs in dark-skinned individuals. Other causes of melanonychia striata related to melanocytic activation include pregnancy, chronic local trauma, infections, medications, dermatological disorders, endocrine disorders, alkaptonuria, hemochromatosis, porphyria, graft-vs-host disease, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, and Laugier-Hunziker syndrome. Causes of melanonychia striata associated with melanocytic hyperplasia include nail matrix melanocytic nevus, nail lentigo, and nail apparatus/subungual in situ and invasive melanoma. In most cases, melanonychia striata is a benign condition, especially in children. Consequently, most investigators advocate a wait-and-see approach. Nail apparatus/subungual melanoma should be suspected if there is an abrupt onset after middle age, personal or family history of melanoma, rapid growth, darkening of a melanonychia band, pigment variegation, blurry lateral borders, irregular elevation of the surface, a bandwidth >3 mm, proximal widening, associated nail plate dystrophy, single rather than multiple digit involvement, and periungual spread of pigmentation onto the adjacent cuticle and/or proximal and/or lateral nail folds (Hutchinson sign). Prolonged follow-up is mandatory for early detection of possible malignant changes.
Glomus tumors occurring synchronously in the subungual region and the pulp of a fingertip are extremely uncommon. Awareness of this will lead to early diagnosis and treatment.
Domestic maid violence is an assault and coercive behaviour, which mainly includes physical, psychological and at times sexual too, by employer or household members of employer against a person hired as a domestic help. Maid abuse is well known but poorly documented in scientific literature. This is an important global issue. In this article, two illustrated cases of maid abuse are discussed. Their employers allegedly subjected both the victims to physical and psychological trauma. The physical examination of the victims showed poor state of clothing, nutrition, and presence of injuries of different duration. The bruises were irregular to patterned, and were inflicted by beating. Both cases had eczematous contact dermatitis over palms and soles, paronechia, and sub-ungal fungal infection due to unprotected working in wet conditions. In both cases, external ears were deformed like cauliflowers due to repeated trauma. All cases had multiple injuries of varying duration. In this paper, medico-legal and social issues related to maid abuse are also discussed in detail. A possible solution to minimise maid abuse is also suggested. This paper highlights and document maid abuse.