Abstract

A whitlow or felon is an infection of the tip of the finger. Herpetic whitlow and melanotic whitlow are subtypes that are not synonymous with the term "felon". A felon is an "extremely painful abscess on the palmar aspect of the fingertip". Whitlow usually refers to herpetic whitlow, though it can also refer to melanotic whitlow, which somewhat resembles acral lentiginous melanoma. The terms "whitlow" and "felon" are also sometimes misapplied to paronychia, which is an infection of the tissue at the side or base of the nail. Felon presents with a throbbing pain, clinically.