The Truth Behind Nail Salons

My patients ask me all the time if nail salons are safe for pedicures, or are they bacterial or fungal breeding grounds. Unfortunately, the answer to that question isn’t cut and dry. As a practicing podiatric physician and surgeon I have seen a variety of skin and nail infections in patients that had pedicures at nail salons. While the chances of developing an infection at a nail salon is relatively low, it only takes one infection to make you regret your decision to get a pedicure. Common risks include contracting warts, bacterial infections of the skin (including antibiotic resistant staph infections), and fungal infections of the skin and nails.
So, is your salon safe? Do your homework. Salons can and should protect their clients with properly applied preventative measures recommended by their state board. Contact the state governing board for any reported violations. While most states regulate salons and have inspectors, there is tremendous variation in those regulations and how frequently inspections are conducted. For example, California’s Board of Barbering and Cosmetology has 22 inspectors state wide, and the sheer number of facilities make inspections few and far between - sometimes facilities may go a year or longer without a state inspection. According to an article published by the San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego County alone has roughly 3600 nail salons, and from 2003 to 2008 state inspectors cited more than half of these salons for at least one health violation, including the failure to dispose of dirty items and not properly storing disinfected tools.