Paronychia Self-Care Tips: How to Treat it at Home (and Prevent it From Happening) (2024)

Breaking a nail is undoubtedly annoying—and often quite painful. While that might seem like the worst thing to happen to your mani, paronychia may have it beat. Now you’re probably asking, “paron-who?” “Paronychiais an infection of the tissue folds around the nail that is typically caused by irritation or trauma, like cuticle damage, a hangnail, or excess exposure to moisture (such as someone whose hands are constantly wet from dishwashing, for example),” explains board-certified facial plastic surgeon Jaimie DeRosa, MD.“The condition affects more than 200,000 people a year in the United States alone.”

Paronychiais most commonly caused by bacteria, usually Staphylococcus aureus, as a result of continuous irritation of the skin, hands, and feet being constantly wet and warm. Sometimes it’s also caused by cuticle damage due to picking or biting (the mouth is full of bacteria that can cause this infection), explains Dr. DeRosa. “A good example would be someone skiing for multiple days wearing warm, wet ski gloves and developingparonychiaas a result,” she says. Now that you're aware of what paronychia is, keep reading for expert tips to treat it at home.

What Is Paronychia?

“Paronychia is a soft tissue infection that occurs around the nails on the fingers or toes,” says dermatologist, Rebecca Marcus, MD. “It can either be acute, in which case it is most often caused by staph bacteria, or chronic, in which case it is often caused by fungus. Paronychia manifests as swelling, tenderness, erythema (redness), and sometimes pus in the skin around the nail. It is usually tender and sometimes warm to the touch.”

Meet the Experts

Jaimie DeRosa, MD, is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and the founder of and lead facial plastic surgeon at DeRosa Center Plastic Surgery & Med Spain Boston and Palm Beach.
RebeccaMarcus, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and the founderofMaeiMD.
Hadley King, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology. She is also a Clinical Instructor of Dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University,

What Are the Symptons of Paronychia?

Symptoms ofparonychia will typically develop over hours to several days, sometimes even longer.“They will first become evident in the area where the skin meets the nail at the nailfold,” Dr. DeRosa says. “It will manifest as pain, swelling, and tenderness around the nail. The skin may also be warm to touch due to inflammation. As the paronychiaworsens, you may see pus developing under the skin, eventually forming an abscess if untreated and allowed to progress.”

The good news? “Mostparonychiacan be treated at home without visiting your doctor,” Dr. DeRosa says.

01of 06

Warm Soaks

Fill a bowl or basin with warm tap water. (Use a bowl for fingers and a bigger basin for toes.) The water should be warm, but not so hot to cause pain or discomfort. “If you have broken skin then add salt or a saline solution,” Dr. DeRosa says. “Use a few tablespoons of table salt, Epsom salt, or saline solution. Warm water alone will also work in the early stages of the condition when you have just red, swollen skin. Soak the affected toe or finger for about 20 minutes at a time three to four times per day. If the water becomes cool before the time is up, then add more hot water to keep it warm.”

Alternatively, Dr. Marcus says you can do a warm soak to treat acute paronychia by wrapping the affected area in a washcloth that is saturated with warm water and keeping it in place for 10 minutes.

02of 06

Cover Up

“After soaking, make sure that you thoroughly dry the affected area,” Dr. DeRosa says. “You can also apply petroleum jelly and cover it with a bandage if you have broken skin or will be working with your hands.”

03of 06

Stay Dry

Moisture is not your friend when it comes to paronychia. “Chronic paronychia, which is often caused by fungus, may be worsened by moisture, so in this case, the affected area should be kept dry,” Dr. Marcus says.

04of 06

Be Clean

“Keep your hands dry between soaking sessions and avoid biting your nails or sucking on your fingers" so you don't re-introduce infection, Dr. DeRosa says. She advises washing your skin regularly with soapy water that is warm, "but not so hot that it's uncomfortable.”

05of 06

Mind Your Cuticles

You can decrease the chances of developing paronychia in the first place by avoiding trauma to the cuticle. “When getting a manicure, it’s best to gently push cuticles back rather than cutting them,” Dr. Marcus says. “All tools should be sterile. Minimize chances of fissures and cracks in the skin around the nails by keeping hands well hydrated and moisturized.” And avoid biting your nails and cuticles.

06of 06

Protect Your Hands

“When working with cleaners, chemicals, or detergents, use rubber gloves to protect your hands,” Dr. DeRosa says. “It is even better if you use cotton inserts for the gloves to help keep your hands dry, too.”