TikTok Video Saves Mom’s Life After Strange Nail Mark Reveals Rare Cancer

A TikTok video turned lifesaver for Lauren Koltcz, a 45-year-old mom from North Royalton, Ohio, who spotted a peculiar brown line on her thumbnail. Initially brushing it off as a vitamin deficiency, Koltcz’s gut told her otherwise. “Something didn’t sit right,” she admitted, as the mark thickened over time.

After a nurse practitioner suggested a fungal infection and medication failed, Koltcz turned to the internet. Scrolling through TikTok in February 2025, she stumbled upon a dermatologist’s urgent warning: brown lines on nails could signal trouble. That video prompted her to book an appointment at Cleveland Clinic, where a biopsy revealed a shocking truth—subungual melanoma, a rare skin cancer lurking under her nail.

“I was floored,” Koltcz said. “Cancer was the last thing I expected.” Caught at stage 0, the melanoma hadn’t spread beyond the skin’s surface, giving her a fighting chance. Dr. Alison Vidimos, a Cleveland Clinic dermatology expert, noted the dark, wide pigmentation as a red flag. “Early detection is everything,” Vidimos emphasized, citing a 95% survival rate for early cases.

Subungual melanoma, though rare—making up just 0.7% to 3.5% of melanomas globally—can be deadly if ignored. Often mistaken for benign issues, it’s frequently diagnosed late because, as Vidimos put it, “who checks their nails for cancer?” Surgery swiftly removed the cancer and surrounding tissue, leaving Koltcz cancer-free for now, though she’ll need regular checkups.

Reflecting on her close call, Koltcz feels grateful. “I owe that TikTok dermatologist a thank-you,” she said, urging others to take nail changes seriously. Her story underscores a vital truth: sometimes, a scroll through social media can save your life.