Paronychia

Paronychia is an inflammation of the nail fold and surrounding tissues, which are the skin folds along the sides of the fingernails or toenails. It often results from minor trauma to the periungual skin, such as tearing hangnails, nail biting, finger sucking, excessive nail trimming, or ingrown nails, leading to a breach in the normal skin barrier and subsequent microbial infection. Bacterial infections are the most common. Clinically, it presents as redness, swelling, warmth, and pain in the periungual tissue, and in severe cases, pus formation may occur.