Infected hangnail

Hangnails are small pieces of skin that hang from your nails. A hangnail infection is a type of Paronychia. This is when the skin near the nail has become infected. Although an infected nail can be painful and common, it is treatable.

What is a Hangnail?

Although it has the word “nail”, hangnail ” is a specific skin condition that causes small tears near the cuticle.

Causes

Skin irritations and dryness can cause hangnails.

• These include: Dry air, more often during winter when it is cold and dry.
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers
• Regular hand washing
• Neglecting or biting the nails
• Swimming in chlorinated swimming pools

How to treat a hangnail?

Never bite or pull at a hangnail. This could cause the skin to become infected and rip.

Signs and symptoms of an Infected Hangnail

A hangnail should show signs and symptoms within a few days of becoming infected. Infection is when bacteria or fungus gets under the skin. While fungal infections are more common, symptoms can be present almost immediately with bacterial infections.

What is Paronychia?

Paronychia, one of the most common hand infections, is very common. Paronychia is an infection between the nail & skin. It affects the lateral nails fold and the paronychium (the tissue around the nail). Although it can happen in children and adults, it is usually not very serious.

There are two types of Paronychia.

• Acute Paronychia: This condition occurs suddenly and can not last long. It usually happens on the fingers
• Chronic Paronychia – This condition lasts longer and can occur on your fingers or your toes. It either gets worse or keeps coming back.

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of an infected hangnail include: 

• Redness
• Swelling
• Tenderness or pain
• Warm feeling
• Plast-filled blisters in the affected area

Treatments

Do not try to pull off an infected hangnail. Pulling on the hangnail can cause it to pull away more skin, which could lead to further infection. This can cause the hangnail to get redder and more inflamed.

Instead, you can use these effective methods to prevent irritation and infection from your hangnails.

Warm water soak

Warm water and antibacterial soap can be used to soak the nail for up to 15 minutes, up until four times per day. This will cleanse the area and increase blood flow. You can also use warm water to soothe the discomfort.

Use Cuticle clippers to trim the hangnail

Use rubbing alcohol to sterilize small scissors and cuticle cutters. To prevent irritation, clean the edges of the scissors and cuticle clipspers with rubbing alcohol after they have been soaked in water.

Topical Antifungal and Antibiotic Creams

Use a small amount of antibiotic cream on the hangnail. Topical steroids may also be recommended by your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider might recommend antifungal creams if your infection is fungal.

RICE Method

RICE stands for rest ice, compression and elevation. This is a great way to treat a hangnail. These strategies can be used to reduce the pain and swelling caused by hangnails.

• Rest – Avoid tasks that require you to use your finger.
• Ice: To soothe swelling and reduce inflammation, apply ice or cold packs wrapped in a towel to your finger.
• Compression – Apply pressure to the swollen finger with a bandage.
• Elevation – Lift your swollen fingers higher than your heart in order to prevent further swelling. This will increase blood flow and help drain excess fluid faster.

Moisturize

Use moisturizers after your infection has cleared. This may help to prevent the growth of more hangnails.

When should I see a doctor?

If the hangnail develops an abscess (a walled-off area of infection) or local anaesthetic to numb the area.

To allow the pus to drain, lift the nail fold using an instrument or make small incisions with a knife.

Make sure to thoroughly clean the area

If there is severe redness around an abscess, doctors may recommend an oral antibiotic.

Prevention of Infection and Hangnails

Hangnails can be easily avoided. These steps will help you keep your skin hydrated and healthy.

• Use gloves to wash dishes
• Do not trim your cuticles.
• Moisturize your hands daily.

How to get rid of non-infected hangnails?

Non-infected hangnails can be easily removed or treated. This will heal the hangnail, and help prevent infection.

1. Cleanse and disinfect the area: Begin by washing your hangnail using warm water and soap. This will get rid of dirt, bacteria, and reduce the chance of infection.
2. Make your skin soft: Use petroleum jelly or a high-quality moisturizer to your hands after you have dried them. To soften the skin, focus on the area around the hangnails.
3. Trim the hangnail with care: To gently trim the hangnail, use sterile cuticle or nail clippers. Don’t press too hard on the hangnail because it contains nerves and tiny blood vessels. You could cause bleeding if you do. Apply pressure to the affected area until bleeding stops.
4. Moisturize: Apply a layer of petroleum jelly to your skin. To protect your hangnail from infection, you can use an antibiotic cream.