"The hyponychium is the skin located under the free edge of your nail, near your fingertip. It is a normal thing for every person to have - it's a barrier from both germs and debris, and it's vital for protecting the nail bed (under the nail) from external substances," Notton tells POPSUGAR UK. So essentially, while it might look a little bit icky, the hyponychium is looking out for your nails by preventing infections and the lifting of the natural nail from the nail bed.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Renee Rodriguez