Paronychia, or panarice, is an infection that occurs on the skin around the nail, which usually begins due to an injury to the skin, such as a traumatic manicure action, for example.
The skin is the natural barrier against microorganisms, so any injury can favor the penetration and proliferation of fungi and bacteria, for example, leading to symptoms of inflammation, such as redness, swelling and local pain. In addition to the symptoms of inflammation, in the paronychia, pus may be present under or near the nail.
Main causes
Paronychia can happen due to a traumatic injury performed by the manicure when "taking out a steak", biting the nails or pulling the skin around, using medications and direct and frequent contact with chemicals, such as cleaning products and detergent, for example.
Symptoms of paronychia
The most characteristic symptom of paronychia is inflammation around one or more nails that manifests itself through heat, redness and pain, usually pulsating, in the inflamed area. In addition, there may be pus under or near the nail.
Symptoms may appear hours after the finger injury or have a slow evolution. Thus, paronychia can be classified into:
- Acute paronychia, in which the symptoms appear hours after the finger injury near the nail, the symptoms are very clear and usually disappear in a few days when treated. This type of paronychia usually occurs due to the penetration and proliferation of bacteria in the injured region. Chronic paronychia, whose symptoms develop slowly, the signs of inflammation are not as intense, can occur on more than one finger, usually there is no pus and is often associated with the presence of fungi. The chronic paronychia disappears after weeks after starting treatment.
According to the characteristics of the paronychia, the dermatologist will be able to make the diagnosis and indicate the best treatment.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of paronychia is indicated by the dermatologist and can be done with antibiotics, corticosteroids or antifungals depending on the characteristics and the cause of the inflammation. In some cases it may be necessary to drain the lesion to prevent other infections and to prevent the healing process from being faster. Drainage is done in the doctor's office through a small incision on the spot with the aid of a scalpel.
In addition, it may be recommended by the dermatologist to apply a compress with lukewarm water at the infected site, in addition to performing adequate cleaning of the site.
To avoid the occurrence of paronychia, it is important to avoid biting your nails or pulling the skin around, avoid cutting or pushing the cuticles and, in the case of people who are in contact with chemicals, use rubber gloves, so the injuries can avoided.
