Foreign Body Beneath Nail

Presentation

The patient complains of a paint chip or wooden sliver under the nail. Due to high sensory nerve density, these injuries are often quite painful. Most subungual foreign bodies are completely visible and are lodged under the distal portion of the nail. Occasionally, a wooden sliver will be large and deeply embedded over the proximal germinal matrix.

Often the patient has unsuccessfully attempted to remove the foreign body, which has broken off and could not be grabbed using household tweezers.