My finger is full of pus

Q My finger’s red and swollen where the nail joins and there’s pus under the skin. What should I do? Aliana, Brentwood A Sounds like an acute paronychia, an infection caused when bacteria enter the join between your skin and nail.

Often a minor scratch or an injury such as a splinter is to blame, or damage from biting your nails, overenthusiastic cutting and filing, or simply washing-up.

The skin around your nail becomes red, swollen and tender, and yellow pus might collect underneath or ooze out.

Besides looking yucky, a paronychia can be very painful. Provided you’ve nipped it in the bud, treatment might mean soaking the finger in salt water and using antibiotics, either as cream or as tablets.

If a lot of pus has collected then you may need a small op to cut the skin and allow the pus to drain.