A woman is suing a nail salon in Portland, Oregon, claiming that she contracted herpes after getting an acrylic manicure done there. The woman, who goes by S.R. in the court documents, filed a $1.75 million lawsuit against PDX Nails.
In it, she claims that after visiting the nail salon in June 2023 and getting a manicure, she developed sores on her hands and was diagnosed with herpes. The documents also claim that the nail technician didn’t wear any gloves while performing the manicure and stored the nail tools in an Altoids tin.
This isn't the first time a PDX Nails salon has come under scrutiny. The shop has a second location that allegedly was fined for “failing to disinfect used tools” and not properly cleaning a foot spa.
The woman was prompted to go to an urgent care clinic four days after getting the manicure. By that time, two of her fingers started to swell and became inflamed, and she developed blisters on one finger. The clinic swabbed the blisters, and she was diagnosed with herpetic whitlow.
More from LittleThings: Woman's Scary Salon Experience Is A Cautionary Tale
According to the Cleveland Clinic, "Herpetic whitlow is a skin infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. It’s characterized by painful blisters on the skin near your fingernail. Herpetic whitlow typically resolves on its own, but may require an antiviral prescription to hasten a resolution. Herpetic whitlow is contagious and can spread from person to person."
The infection is pretty uncommon, with only an estimated 2 people per 100,000 receiving a diagnosis in the United States. The most common symptoms are blisters or fluid-filled bumps, color changes to the skin around the nail, and swollen fingers.
S.R. says she didn't have herpes before going to the nail salon. She's taking antivirals, but still gets flare-ups on her hands, causing her to have to keep her hands covered due to the virus being contagious. “The flare-ups can be super, super painful,” she told The Oregonian/Oregon Live. “It’s always on my mind.”
The woman also expressed concern about how to manage the incurable condition if she ever has children. “People have asked ‘What happened to your finger?'" she said. “I don’t want to tell them what it really is because it’s really embarrassing.”
PDX Nails expressed that they "have no comment right now.” People in the comments section reacted to the news.
"There's a sleew of infections you can get from a nail salon!" one person wrote.
Another commented: "Very possible. If tools aren't new or cleaned properly u can get alot of things."
Some people even offered alternatives for those who want to get their nails done.
"The safest place to get your nails done is a beauty college where they are inspected by the state twice a year and have to perform proper sanitation, disinfection and sterilization," one person commented.
Another wrote: "I do my nails with Dashing Diva nail strips! I don’t trust salons."
*Disclaimer: The advice on LittleThings is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
