• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Paronychia

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Infection - skin around the nail

Prevention:

To prevent paronychia, care for the nails and the skin around the nails properly. Avoid damage to the nails or the fingertips. Do not bite, or pick the nails. Because the nails grow slowly, damage can cause an injury that lasts for months. Protect the nails from exposure to detergents and chemicals by using protective rubber or plastic gloves, preferably with cotton liners.

To minimize the risk of damage to the nails, keep them smooth and trim them weekly. Because the toenails grow more slowly, trim them about once a month. For fingernails and toenails, use sharp manicure scissors or clippers for trimming and an emery board for smoothing the edges. The nails may be softer and easier to trim after bathing. Trim fingernails with a slightly rounded edge. Trim toenails straight across and don't cut them too short.

Do not trim cuticles or use cuticle removers. Cuticle removers are corrosive and may damage the skin around the nail. Trimming the cuticle results in damage to the skin at the base of the nail and allows an entry point for fungi (and bacteria), which can result in infection.

References:

Habif TP. Clinical Dermatology . 4th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2004.

• Review Date: 4/12/2007
• Reviewed By: Jonathan Kantor, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.