Retronychia: A Misdiagnosed Cause of Paronychia

Retronychia refers to the embedding of the nail into the proximal nail fold. Patients present with chronic paronychia in the setting of disrupted nail growth. Nail avulsion is curative and unlike other forms of ingrown nails, it does not tend to recur. We report a case of retronychia who presented with pain and swelling around bilateral great toes. Further examination showed growth of overlapping nail plates, which led to the diagnosis of retronychia. This article emphasizes the clinical features and treatment options available for retronychia, thereby avoiding misdiagnosis.