P

• Paronychia - bacterial infection of the nail fold caused by a break or tear in the skin surrounding the nail plate, it causes pain, redness and swelling

• Pathogen - a micro-organism capable of causing disease   

• Pathogenic - harmful and disease producing

• Personal presentation - the appearance of an individual to include, hygiene, clothing, hair, makeup, accessories 

• Petrissage - kneading movements used in massage treatment

• pH - the degree of alkalinity and acidity measured on the pH scale

• Photosensitise - to become sensitive to UVL

• Physical - relating to the body

• Physiology - the biological study of the functions of living organisms and their parts

• Plumb-line - is a light line (cord or piece of string) with a weight attached at one end. It is used to show a vertical line and may be used by a therapist to help with visual assessment of posture.

• Policy - a course of action, statement, principle or procedure considered to be advantageous. A policy in business wil direct present and future decisions.

• Posterior – back

• Procedure - a series of steps in a specific order to show how something is achieved accurately and in the same way by everyone involved.

• Pronation - to rotate the hand or forearm so that the palm faces down or back

• Prone - lying face down

• Proximal - nearest to the point of origin

• Pseudomonas - a bacterial infection that occurs between the nail plate and an artificial nail or the nail plate and the nail bed, often leading to discolouration of the nail and lifting of the nail plate away from the nail bed

• Psoriasis - a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterised by red areas covered with dry silvery scales of skin. It is not contagious but can be inherited. When it affects the nail plate it causes pitting, dry and often crumbly nails, in extrene cases the nail plate separates from the nail bed altogether

• Pterygium - a forward growth of skin from the cuticle over the nail plate

• Psychological - relating to the mind and emotions