What Causes Paronychia?

The nail fold is the skin bordering the nail. Biting or picking cuticles, trimming too closely, hangnails, splinters, manicures, and repeated wet work can break this protective seal. Acute paronychia often develops quickly with tenderness, redness, swelling, and sometimes pus. Chronic paronychia can follow ongoing moisture and irritant exposure, with a swollen nail fold that repeatedly flares. Yeast can contribute, including [Skin Yeast Infection](/conditions/cutaneous-candidiasis/), but the appearance alone cannot show whether yeast, bacteria, irritation, or a mixture is responsible.

Keep the area clean and dry, avoid cutting or pushing back the cuticle, and protect hands from detergents and prolonged water exposure with suitable gloves. Do not squeeze a swollen area or pierce it yourself. Because treatment depends on whether a pocket of pus, bacterial infection, yeast, or dermatitis is present, a clinician may need to examine the nail fold and choose the appropriate treatment.

Seek medical care if pain or swelling is worsening, pus is collecting, redness is spreading, a red line travels along the finger, movement becomes difficult, or symptoms keep returning. Prompt assessment is especially sensible for people with diabetes or reduced immunity.

Does this look like irritation, bacterial infection, yeast, or an abscess? Is drainage needed? How can I protect the nail fold during washing and work?