Chris Vincent, MD, is a licensed physician, surgeon, and board-certified doctor of family medicine.

If you have a small piece of torn skin hanging loose next to your nail, you likely have a hangnail. An infected hangnail is a form of paronychia , is a condition in which the skin next to the nail is infected. While an infected hangnail is common and can become painful, it is highly treatable.

This article explains how you can spot and treat an infected hangnail at home, when to see a doctor, and how to prevent these infections.

Photographer, Basak Gurbuz Derman / Getty Images

Although hangnail has the word “nail” in it, a hangnail is specifically a skin condition where small portions of skin get a tear near the cuticle (the layer of clear skin at the base of the nail). Hangnails commonly appear on fingernails but are rarely seen on toenails.

A hangnail is not the same as an ingrown nail. A hangnail occurs when small portions of skin get a tear near the cuticle of a fingernail. An ingrown nail, however, is a medical condition in which the edges of a toenail curve or grow into the soft flesh. An ingrown nail commonly appears on the toes.

Hangnails are commonly caused by conditions and substances that cause the skin to become irritated and dry. These include:

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

You should be able to notice the symptoms of a hangnail soon after it becomes infected. Infection occurs when bacteria or fungus get under the skin. Bacterial infections can produce symptoms almost immediately, while fungal infections may take longer to appear

Paronychia is one of the most common infections of the hand. It's an infection between the nail and the skin, which affects the lateral nail fold and perionychium (the tissue surrounding the nail). It can occur in adults and children, but typically it is not serious.

There are two kinds of paronychia:

If you have an infected hangnail, common symptoms include:

If you have an infected hangnail, do not attempt to rip or pull it off. If you pull on it, you may pull off additional skin that will open more inner skin layers to bacteria. This can also aggravate the hangnail area and cause it to become red and slightly inflamed.

Instead, use the following effective ways to prevent infection and irritation from hangnails.

Soak the nail in warm water and antibacterial soap for 15 minutes up to four times a day. This cleanses the area and increases blood flow. Warm water can also soothe any discomfort in the infected area.

Sterilize cuticle clippers or small scissors with rubbing alcohol. After the hangnail is soft from soaking in water, trim the edges with cuticle clippers to prevent further irritation and infection.

Apply small amounts of antibiotic cream to the hangnail. Your healthcare provider may also recommend topical steroids. If your infection has been diagnosed as being fungal, your healthcare provider may recommend an antifungal cream.

The acronym RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. This can be an effective way to treat a hangnail. Apply the following strategies to reduce pain and swelling from hangnails:

After your infection has healed, use moisturizers to keep your skin well hydrated. This might help prevent more hangnails from developing.

If the hangnail develops an abscess (a walled-off area of infection) or pus (thick fluid produced as a body's response to infection), it may need to be drained.

To drain an infected hangnail, your healthcare provider may:

Draining an infected hangnail should only be done by a healthcare provider. Do not attempt to drain the hangnail by yourself, as you may increase the risk of further infection.

Hangnails are easy to prevent. To keep your skin healthy and hydrated, implement the following steps into your skincare routine:

You can easily remove or treat non-infected hangnails, which will heal the hangnail and prevent an infection:

Hangnails that are left untreated may become dystrophic (discolored or distorted) over time. In rare cases, it may also cause a systemic infection that spreads to other parts of the body.

Untreated hangnails may lead to chronic paronychia, which is an inflammatory disorder of the nail skin fold. This is characterized as an infection that lasts longer than six weeks.

It typically occurs in people who have eczema (an inflammatory skin condition) and those whose occupation exposes their hands to harsh chemicals or constant moisture (for instance, housekeepers, dishwashers, bartenders). Other conditions that may pose a risk for chronic paronychia are diabetes and being immunocompromised (having a weakened immune system).

Green nail syndrome (GNS) is an infection by a species of bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ) that produces a greenish pigment. This leads to a greenish discoloration of the nails known as chloronychia . GNS is not painful, but the skin around the nail, including the cuticle, may be swollen, tender, or red.

This syndrome is most common in people whose hands or feet are constantly wet (such as in sweaty footwear or waterproof dishwashing or medical gloves) or who have nails lifted from the nailbed (such as may happen to gardeners, janitors, or plumbers).

A hangnail can become infected if exposed to bacteria or fungus. If your hangnail is caused by a fungal infection, your symptoms may be more gradual than a bacterial infection. Fungal infections appear more frequently in people who have diabetes or spend a large amount of time with their hands exposed to water.

Although rare, infected hangnails may spread to areas of the body if left untreated, which can cause complications. To prevent this from occurring, see your healthcare provider if your hangnail develops an abscess or pus that does not go away.

While hangnails are common, they are easily treatable. People who wash their hands frequently pick their fingers or are frequently working with their hands are more likely to get hangnails. They usually go away after a few days as long as you don’t pick or pull at the skin.

Hangnails are common, easily treatable, and will often heal without complication. If you have an infected hangnail, home remedies such as warm water soaks and moisturizing the affected area are effective for mild infections. More serious infections require the draining of abscesses or pus, which should only be done by a healthcare provider.

Hangnails may be prevented by keeping the skin hydrated. This includes applying petroleum jelly or good-quality moisturizers to the affected area.

If you develop a hangnail, avoid ripping or pulling it off because that increases the risk of infection. Seek medical attention if your infected hangnail does not improve or become worse.

Hangnails can be uncomfortable and painful. However, there are many ways to prevent hangnails and reduce how often you get them. Using good nail hygiene by washing them and moisturizing them with lotion, especially in the winter months, may help you maintain healthy nail beds.

An infected hangnail should only be drained by a healthcare professional. Do not attempt to drain your own hangnail because it may further the infection.

Most infected hangnails will heal on their own with the appropriate treatment, which can be applied at home. However, talk to a doctor if your hangnail does not heal after about a week of treatment.

Using hydrogen peroxide to clean an infected hangnail can actually harm healthy cells on your skin, which can delay healing. To clean minor wounds and infections, use soap and warm water for at least five minutes to remove dirt, debris, and bacteria.

Soak an infected finger in warm water and antibacterial soap for 15 minutes up to four times a day. This will not only cleanse the infected area but also increase blood flow.

In most cases, pus, which is a collection of thick fluid produced during an infection, will drain on its own after soaking the infected finger with warm water and antibacterial soap. If this does not work, see your healthcare provider who can help you drain the pus.

American Society for Surgery of the Hand. How to get rid of a hangnail.

Leggit JC. Acute and chronic paronychia. American Family Physician. 2017;96(1):44-51.

Jangra RS, Gupta S, Singal A, Kaushik A. Hangnail: A simple solution to a common problem. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2019;81(5):e123-e125. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2019.06.006

American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Green nail syndrome.

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