ABSTRACT
The proximal nail fold, with its distal cuticle attached to the nail and the ventral eponychium, is normally well adapted to prevent infections and external inflammatory agents entering the proximal matrix area; the same is true of the lateral nail walls and folds. It is therefore probable that no paronychia is truly primary, there always being some physical or chemical damage preceding the infection or inflammation; this is less true in relation to superficial infections on the dorsum of the proximal nail fold, such as ‘bulla repens’ (a bullous form of impetigo).
