<P> Paronychia is a nail disease that is an often - tender bacterial or fungal infection of the hand or foot where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of a finger or toenail . The infection can start suddenly ( acute paronychia ) or gradually ( chronic paronychia ) . Paronychia is commonly misapplied as a synonym for whitlow or felon . The term is from Greek : παρωνυχία from para , `` around '' and onukh - , `` nail '' . </P>
<P> Paronychia is a nail disease that is an often - tender bacterial or fungal infection of the hand or foot where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of a finger or toenail . The infection can start suddenly ( acute paronychia ) or gradually ( chronic paronychia ) . Paronychia is commonly misapplied as a synonym for whitlow or felon . The term is from Greek : παρωνυχία from para , `` around '' and onukh - , `` nail '' . </P>
acute infection of the fold of skin around a nail
acute infection of the fold of skin around a nail
Paronychia
Paronychia