Your pedicure may not be the safest
Nail infections or fungal nail infections are more common than we think. A person can get infected in public or even at-home settings – such as public showers and nail clipper sharing.
Salons, especially nail salons, are a place where chances of infection can be higher, especially if sanitation procedures aren’t followed strictly.
Anita House, 59, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, believes it was a nail salon where her infection began and eventually led to toe amputation.
House recalls how the infection would have happened
In February 2019, House and her sister headed to a local nail salon for pedicures. The staff used what appeared to be a clean, disposable liner in the pedicure tub, according to House.
The salon worker removed an ingrown toenail on the large toe of House’s right foot – a practice that’s often done at nail salons.
“They would often see it and get it out,” House said of her ingrown toenail. “I’ve never had an issue with it … but she cut it, and she cut deep. It bled.”
“That’s [my guess] of when bacteria got in,” she added. “I can’t prove it in a court a law, but if I was a betting woman, that would be my bet.”
Over the next few months, her toe became red, painful and puffy, she said.
Treatment didn't work
House ended up seeing a podiatrist, who gave her antibiotic cream and an oral antibiotic, which she had to take for seven days. The treatment didn’t work, and her toe became more red, sore, tender, swollen and painful. “That was the middle of March,” House said.
She also went to see a second podiatrist, who prescribed another round of antibiotics, but nothing improved.
Toenail removed
The doctor then told her that her toenail needs to be removed. Even after four weeks, she saw no improvement and met with Dr. Manuel Rodriguez, an infectious disease specialist.
Rodriguez told Fox 5 Atlanta that a culture was never taken of the bacteria inside House’s toe to determine where she contracted the infection.
Toe amputated
“By that point he [Rodriguez] was getting concerned that the infection was going to spread [and] he didn’t want it in my bloodstream,” House noted. “He knew it was in the bone in the toe by that point.”
On October 15 2019, House’s right toe was surgically removed in its entirety.
“We decided to take it off in the joint into the foot, just in case [the infection] had jumped to the second bone,” House shared.
Warning for women
“Women be aware, conscious … If you’re getting that icky feeling, turn around and walk out,” House offered advice to women who usually go to nail salons. Ensure that salon workers are sterilizing and when in doubt, she said, “bring your own tools.”
House added that she believes since she went on a busy weekend, the staff might not have sterilized efficiently.
Start a Conversation
Post comment