India, July 26 -- Accidentally stabbing oneself with the tip of a sharp pencil, or getting pricked by a friend in jest, is a universal experience. It often leaves a black spot under the skin, the place where bits of the pencil "lead" might have broken off and stayed.

But does it possess a serious health concern? This is the question that haunts many parents, especially if one knows that the element lead is highly toxic and a classic slow poison.

To clear the doubts, Dr Kunal Sood took to Instagram on July 26 and explained what the black mark actually is and whether one should be concerned about it.

"Do you remember stabbing yourself with a pencil as a kid and wondering if the lead would stain your skin forever? In many cases, it actual...