Paronychia can be minimized by avoiding prolonged soaking in water and by drying the hands well after hand washing. Manicures should be gentle, to avoid trauma to the cuticles.
Paronychia can cause permanent nail damage. If paronychia is not treated effectively, the tissue and bone of the finger can become infected.
The organisms that cause paronychia are not usually passed to other people. However, the use of manicure tools that have not been sterilized can transmit the infection.