Healing a Hangnail Infection Fast: Treatment, Complications & More

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A medical guide to treating swollen, throbbing hangnail infections

Co-authored by Savannah Vold Medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS

Last Updated: September 7, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Home Remedies
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• Medical Treatments
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• Hangnail Prevention
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• Video

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Hangnails can cause a surprising amount of pain for how small they often are, especially if they’re infected. Fortunately, an infected hangnail, or paronychia, is common, easily treatable, and should clear up in around 5 days. Read on to learn how best to treat an infected hangnail at home, as well as when to seek medical treatment and prevent future infections.

Treating an Infected Hangnail

Clean your hangnail by soaking it in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes, then apply an OTC anti-bacterial ointment to the infected area. Cover your hangnail with a bandage. Seek medical attention if your infection worsens or you develop a fever.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Safe & Effective Home Remedies

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1. 1
   Soak the infected area in warm water 2-4 times daily. Fill a bowl or basin with warm water and soak the infected area for 15 minutes, 2-4 times daily, until the infection goes away. For extra soothing power, dissolve ½ teaspoon (3 g) of Epsom salt in the water before dipping your nail in.

   • The CDC recommends using bottled or boiled water rather than tap to ensure you don’t expose any harmful bacteria that may be present in tap water to your open wound, particularly if there’s a boiled water advisory.
2. 2
   Trim the hangnail with sanitized fingernail clippers. Soak a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol and thoroughly rub it over your nail clippers or scissors to kill any germs and bacteria that may be present. Then, after soaking your nail in water for about 15 minutes, carefully cut the hangnail off level to your skin.

   • Cutting off the hangnail will help to reduce pain by preventing it from pulling down farther.
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3. 3
   Apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment to the infected area. Dab a pea-sized amount of bacitracin or polymyxin B (Neosporin or Neosporin + Pain Relief) ointment onto the infected area with a cotton swab to kill bacteria and soothe the wound. Reapply the product 1-3 times daily or as directed on the label until your wound heals.
4. 4
   Moisturize the affected area daily to keep it from drying out. Regularly apply a pea-sized amount of moisturizing lotion or petroleum jelly to the affected area and the rest of your hands or feet to hydrate your skin. Avoid using lotions with a high alcohol or water content, which can dry your skin out and further exasperate your hangnail infection.

   • Dry, cracked skin increases the likelihood of hangnails developing, making daily moisturization key to healing and preventing infected hangnails.
5. 5
   Keep the infected area elevated as much as possible. Lie down and elevate your infected finger or toe above the level of your heart as often as possible throughout the day. Frequent elevation can help to decrease swelling and pain effectively.

   • Try using a pillow or a rolled-up towel propped under your foot or finger to help elevate the area comfortably.
6. 6
   Use ice 2-3 times daily and OTC pain medication to reduce your pain. To numb and soothe your infected hangnail, apply an ice pack to the area 2-3 times daily for 10-15 minutes. Then, take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed to help reduce your pain while the infection heals. If your infection is swollen, consider using an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.

   • Common over-the-counter pain relievers include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Medical Treatments

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1. 1
   Ask your doctor if they recommend oral antibiotics. Depending on your symptoms and whether your infection is bacterial (according to a culture panel), your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics to help fight off the infection. If so, be sure to take antibiotics as directed by your doctor and continue to take them until you've fully completed your prescription.

   • Stopping antibiotics before you've finished them may cause the infection to return.
2. 2
   Talk with your doctor about using an antifungal medication. Many hangnail infections are fungal, with symptoms such as redness, swelling, pain, and boggy or moist skin. After taking a culture of your wound, your doctor may prescribe you an antifungal cream to treat the infected area.

   • Topical antifungal ointments are typically applied to the infected area 2 to 3 times daily. Always take any prescriptions according to your doctor’s instructions.
   • Bacterial and fungal infections can co-occur, so your doctor may prescribe both an antifungal and antibacterial treatment.
3. 3
   Ask your doctor if they recommend using a topical steroid cream. While antifungal creams are the most popular treatment for chronic hangnail infections, topical steroid creams have been found to be more effective. Depending on your doctor's expertise and culture results evaluation, they may prescribe you a topical steroid.

   • Topical steroids are typically applied 2-3 times daily. Be sure to follow your doctor's application instructions.
4. 4
   Consult with your doctor if you have diabetes. Diabetes puts you at a higher risk of developing a chronic hangnail infection which can cause other serious health complications. If you get a hangnail infection and you have diabetes, contact your doctor before attempting to treat the area yourself to ensure that the infection is eradicated effectively via antibiotics, antifungals, or topical steroid cream.
5. 5
   See your doctor if pus builds up around your nail. While the accumulation of pus around an infected hangnail is relatively common, it must be drained by a healthcare professional. Your doctor will likely numb the area, create a small incision to drain the pus, and dress the wound with gauze. Depending on the severity of the infection, your doctor may also remove a small part of your nail to help it heal properly.

   • Change your wound's dressings according to your doctor's instructions.
6. 6
   Call your doctor if your hangnail infection lasts longer than a week. Most hangnail infections will clear up on their own after about 5 days. If your hangnail infection doesn’t improve or it worsens after 7 days, make an appointment with your doctor to determine and treat the cause of your infection.

   • Your doctor will likely take a culture of the infection to determine its cause.
   • Additionally, your doctor may have to perform a minor surgery by removing all or part of the nail if your infection doesn't respond to typical prescription treatments.
7. 7
   Seek emergency medical care if you develop a fever. If you develop a fever and/or red streaks running from the infected area, go to an urgent care facility or the ER for immediate treatment. These symptoms indicate that the infection is spreading rapidly and needs to be treated professionally as soon as possible.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Hangnail Prevention

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1. 1
   Keep your nails trimmed to a moderate length and wash them frequently. Using nail clippers, clip away long toe or fingernails so they are neat and trimmed. Avoid trimming your nails too far back, or you could damage the skin and potentially cause an infection. Additionally, wash your hands with warm water and soap frequently to minimize dirt buildup under the nails.

   • Sanitize your nail trimmers by wiping them with rubbing alcohol between every use.
   • Clean, well-groomed nails significantly reduce your risk of infected hangnails.
2. 2
   Wear gloves when you’re working with harsh chemicals. Avoid exposure to water and irritating cleansing agents for prolonged periods by wearing rubber gloves. For example, people who bartend, dish wash, or house clean are at a higher risk of developing an infected hangnail, as their hands are frequently submerged in water, softening the skin around the cuticle, making them more prone to tears and rips.

   • Be sure to thoroughly dry your hands after every exposure to water or other liquids.
3. 3
   Stop biting, sucking, or picking your nails. Biting and picking your nails can damage the skin around them, which can cause hangnail infections to develop. Additionally, your saliva can introduce bacteria to the torn or damaged area, causing an infection.
4. 4
   Avoid scraping back or trimming your cuticles. Your cuticles are the layer of clear skin at the bottom edge of your finger or toenails. When you’re grooming your nails, avoid trimming or scraping your cuticles, as this can damage the skin and potentially cause an infection.

   • While it’s fine for a professional manicurist to push back your cuticles, avoid doing so yourself to ensure you don’t push them back too far.
5. 5
   Change your socks daily. Socks can trap moisture and potentially cause a hangnail infection on one of your toenails. To avoid an infection, put on a fresh pair of socks each day and change your socks if they get wet.

   • Also, avoid wearing the same pair of shoes more than twice in a row to allow them to dry out completely.
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Tips

• Avoid clipping your nails too short or pushing back your cuticles too far, as this can irritate and damage the skin, increasing the likelihood of introducing germs to the wound.
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• Applying a warm compress to the infected area for 15-20 minutes daily may help to reduce pain and swelling.
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