BOSTON —

The birthmark on Laura Doody's big toenail had always been easy to hide, especially as she got older.

"It was totally out of sight, out of mind," she said. "I purposely chose darker color nail polish to try to cover it up."

Doctors told her and her parents that birthmarks are no big deal.

"Mine happened to be on my nail matrix, where your nail grows from," Doody said. "When your nail grows, it picks up that pigment like a paintbrush with a can of paint."

Doody was between pedicures when she noticed the line under her toenail looked different.

She called her doctor.

"I said, 'This is going to sound really funny,'" Doody said. "'I have this dark pigment on my nail. I've had it looked at by dermatologists my whole life. Everyone has told me that the only time I need to be conc

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