Suffering with whitlow?

(Published on 7 November 2006 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Remember those ‘Tell me why’ series of encyclopaedias in the school library dahlings? Well I’m planning to come out with my own series. The ‘Tell me why Miss Know All’ series of books that are destined to be a sell out before they even go into print. The questions people ask me… I can’t help but find myself showing off – my knowledge that is.

Waiting for my turn at the beauty parlour for a facial (a meek and feeble attempt to slow down the aging process) – I found myself chatting with another client… young and pretty, may I add. While I’d give her an A++ for grooming – I noticed she suffered with a bad case of whitlow. Every opportunity to impart knowledge is seized… and here I was sitting amongst a group of hoity-toity make-up laden ladies telling them what to do when struck with this ailment.

A whitlow is an infection that occurs at the side or the base of a finger nail or a toe nail. The medical name for this is paronychia. This nail disease is a bacterial or fungal infection where the nail and skin meet at the side or the base of the nail. Patients suffer with characteristic vesicular lesions. Fluid within the vesicles is usually clear. It can also be chronic and people are known to have a tendency of getting it regularly. The cuticle, which is the skin at the base of the nail acts as a protective covering. If the cuticle is damaged then bacteria are able to enter the skin and cause infection. The skin becomes inflamed, red, and throbs continuously. Despite the small area affected these infections can be extremely painful.

Whitlows are very common amongst people who because of the nature of their work, have to repeatedly wash their hands. Excess water softens the cuticle and soaps or detergents remove the protective skin oils. This leaves the skin dry and more prone to split. Any damage to the cuticle allows infection to enter. Biting or picking at the cuticle or even damage through over enthusiastic manicuring can be the cause. Whitlow can be caused by either bacterial infection or a fungal one. When the infection comes on quickly it's usually caused by bacteria. This needs treatment with antibiotics. Usually a cream would suffice but in severe cases tablets would have to be taken. If the infection persists then a fungal infection is often the cause. An anti-fungal cream is the solution.

When someone is prone to whitlows it's advisable for them to use rubber gloves when washing things. It is also important to moisturise the skin well after drying your hands. Discourage over enthusiastic manicurists from digging around the cuticle when manicuring your nails.

‘Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.’ – Confucius
Real knowledge is to also accept that a Miss Know All has done her homework well and knows what she is talking about.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com