The sickening dangers lurking in your favorite nail salon. Herpes-infected fingers, hidden cancer risk and NECROSIS… doctors’ warning every woman must read their before their next manicure

When Kate Kelso booked herself a pedicure at her local nail salon, she had no reason to expect anything out of the ordinary.

The North Carolina college student was a regular customer and had never experienced any problems.

So when, about a week after her appointment, she noticed a small red bump on her left calf, she thought little of it.

Initially dismissing it as a spider bite, Kate, now 41, admits: ‘At first, I just put a bit of concealer on it to disguise it before leaving the house.’

But when the swelling continued to worsen and the area became increasingly painful, she decided to seek medical help.

Over the following year, Kate underwent at least ten biopsies as doctors struggled to identify the cause of what she was told was ‘an infection.’

Repeated courses of antibiotics failed to make a difference, and eventually the skin around the affected area began to turn black – a sign that the tissue was dying, a condition known as necrosis.

As her symptoms worsened further, her medical team decided surgery was the only option.

‘The last thing I remember is the doctor saying I’d be left with just a two-inch scar and I would recover quickly,’ Kate recalls.

But the operation proved far more extensive than expected, leaving her with a 14-inch scar running down her calf.

Doctors eventually identified a serious bacterial infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA, which Kate says she contracted from a foot bath at the salon.

She believes bacteria had been lurking in the bath’s filtration system, where they could survive routine cleaning.

‘Took a year of my life, and I still have the scar to prove it,’ she said.

‘Sometimes when people ask me what the scar is from, I tell them it was a shark bite or a knife fight, because it’s ridiculous that I got it just by trying to get my toenails to look cute.’

Tens of millions of Americans visit nail salons every year, fueling an industry that generated more than $13 billion in revenue in 2024 alone.

And while the vast majority of treatments are carried out without incident, dermatologists warn that poor hygiene practices can expose customers to potentially serious infections.

Although there are no reliable national figures for infections linked to manicures and pedicures, outbreaks have occasionally affected large numbers of customers.

Earlier this year, a woman in Portland filed a lawsuit against PDX Nails and Lashes, claiming she contracted herpes after getting acrylic nails and a hand massage. The woman claimed her technician was not wearing gloves. 

The woman said that the day after her appointment, she felt a burning, stinging sensation along her right pinky finger, followed by a painful, itchy blister. 

Her claims were not established in court. A similar claim was made by a client against the same salon in 2023, and was eventually settled for an undisclosed amount, with no finding of liability reported. 

Herpes transmission through manicures is exceptionally rare, although the virus can infect fingers as well as the genitals. 

In one particularly serious incident involving a California salon, 110 customers developed persistent skin infections after visiting the same salon. Investigators subsequently discovered potentially harmful bacteria in all ten of its whirlpool footbaths.

A separate investigation of 18 nail salons in California found similar bacteria in 29 of the 30 footbaths tested.

However, the presence of bacteria does not necessarily mean customers will become infected.

The danger arises when bacteria or other microorganisms enter the skin through tiny cuts or abrasions, which can be caused by trimming cuticles, the thin layer of skin at the base of each nail that helps protect against infection, filing nails too aggressively or even shaving the legs before a pedicure.

‘Cutting cuticles is one of the practices I advise against,’ says Dr Shamsa Kanwal, consultant dermatologist at My Psoriasis Team.

‘The cuticle acts as a protective seal between the nail and the surrounding skin, and removing it creates an opening for bacteria.’

Pedicure baths, small, often whirlpool-style foot spas used to soak and soften the feet before treatment, pose a particular concern because bacteria can accumulate in their jets, filters and pipework, where they may be difficult to remove without thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Among the organisms linked to outbreaks are nontuberculous mycobacteria, a group of bacteria commonly found in water and soil that can cause persistent skin infections, sometimes requiring months of treatment.

It’s not just pedicure baths that can harbor harmful microorganisms.

Nail clippers, cuticle cutters and other reusable instruments can also spread bacteria, fungi and viruses between customers if they are not properly cleaned and disinfected.

Even shared nail polish brushes could potentially transfer an infection if they come into contact with infected nails, Dr Kanwal warns.

Experts advise avoiding pedicures if you have any cuts, scratches or insect bites on your feet or lower legs, and not shaving for at least 24 hours beforehand, as this can leave tiny breaks in the skin.

‘Avoid pedicures if there are cuts or bites on the lower legs,’ Dr Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist and assistant clinical professor at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, told the Daily Mail.

Warning signs of infection include redness, swelling, warmth, increasing pain and pus around the affected area.

Some infections acquired from contaminated footbaths may initially resemble insect bites, before developing into painful sores that grow progressively larger.

People with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to serious complications, although infections can also occur in otherwise healthy customers.

There’s another potential health concern lurking in nail salons: the chemicals used in polishes, gels, acrylic nails and removers.

Some of these products release fumes that can irritate the eyes, skin and airways.

But experts are most worried about nail technicians, who may breathe in chemical vapors and fine dust for hours every day.

A recent study published in the journal Risk Analysis examined the air inside five New York City nail salons and detected benzene, a chemical known to cause cancer, including leukemia.

However, the presence of a carcinogen does not necessarily mean that exposure levels are high enough to pose a significant cancer risk, particularly for customers visiting only occasionally.

‘I’m particularly concerned about nail technicians, who inhale chemical vapors and filing dust throughout their working day,’ Dr Kanwal said.

‘Prolonged occupational exposure to certain chemicals raises additional reproductive and cancer-related concerns, although an occasional manicure should not be equated with chronic workplace exposure.’

Another potential concern is the ultraviolet (UV) lamps used to harden gel nail polish.

These emit ultraviolet A radiation, the same type found in tanning beds, which can penetrate the skin and damage DNA.

In a 2023 study published in Nature Communications, researchers found that exposure to UV nail dryers caused DNA damage and mutations in human and mouse cells grown in a laboratory.

However, the findings do not prove that using these lamps increases the risk of skin cancer in people, and experts believe the risk from occasional use is likely to be low.

Nevertheless, dermatologists recommend applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to the hands before treatment, or wearing fingerless gloves designed to block ultraviolet radiation.

Despite these concerns, dermatologists stress that there is no need to give up manicures or pedicures altogether. Instead, they recommend taking a few simple precautions to reduce the risks.

‘I recommend choosing a salon with good ventilation and clearly demonstrated tool disinfection,’ Dr Kanwal said.

‘Ask for disposable nail files and buffers, and make sure reusable metal instruments are properly sterilized.’

Dr Jaliman also suggests bringing your own nail tools and asking technicians not to cut your cuticles.

Customers should check that pedicure baths are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between appointments, particularly around the jets and filters, where bacteria can accumulate.

And if you have any cuts, broken skin or signs of infection on your hands, feet or lower legs, it’s safest to postpone your appointment until they have healed.

‘Additionally, avoid foot soaks if you have any open wounds or have shaved your legs immediately before an appointment, as this increases your risk of contracting an infection,’ Dr Kyle Hoedebecke, clinical advisor at Care Point Boston, told the Daily Mail.

Finally, experts advise seeking medical attention if you develop unusual swelling, painful lumps or sores after a salon visit, particularly if they worsen or fail to heal.

Although serious infections are uncommon, recognizing the warning signs early can help prevent lasting damage.