Bloke urged to see doctor after he posts image of his thumb online

A man has sparked concern online after he posted a picture of his odd-looking thumb, with many suggesting he seek help from a doctor.

He got a lot of people on social media talking, all by simply posting an image on the 'Mildly Interesting' page on Reddit.

We've all been in a place where we spot something looking weird on our skin or with our body, and a simple Google search turns into a mini-panic session, as sources start to suggest serious health issues as an explanation for something as small as a mole or blemish on your arm.

It's very easy to get lost in the endless pit that is the internet, especially when it comes to your well-being, but the best thing is always to see a licensed professional that knows what they're talking about.

Seeing a medical professional is the smartest thing you can do. (Getty Stock Photo)

That's something that has been repeated to the man in question, who sought help for something on his thumb on what is known as the temple of health on the internet - better known as Reddit.

Users on the website were quick to offer their expertise on the subject, as the man simply posted the photo with a short caption.

The image revealed that he had dark blue line running through his fingernail, and he captioned the post: "My fingernail has a dark blue line on it," with no further explanation.

People in the comments section below had differing explanations for what it could mean, and it really ranged from zero to 100, depending on the user.

One jumped to the most serious possibility, commenting: "I believe that's a sign you have some sort of cancer. I would get screened. Seriously," while linking a type of skin cancer that it could represent, which is subungual melanoma.

Another said: "I see two lines. Check for melanoma, this b***h is fast"

A third advised: "It could be as innocent as a mole or even a subungual melanoma. Speak to your doctor!"

The dark line runs through his whole fingernail. (Reddit)

However, others insisted it was nothing to worry about, with one user sharing: "I used to have that, but it disappeared on its own"

A fifth put: "Don’t get too freaked out. The type of cancer people in this thread are describing is rare. It’s most likely a benign condition. Still worth getting checked out to make sure."

One user provided a full explanation to the author of the post: "Most commonly, dark stripes down a person’s nails are due to a symptom known as linear melanonychia. According to DermNet, these stripes more commonly occur in people with darker skin tones. They state that nearly all Afro-Caribbean people develop these dark pigmentations on their nails by the age of 50."

Looks like it may be nothing to worry about - or maybe it is.

Please go and see a doctor, before thumbing serious happens.