4 nail salon red flags that can lead to infection — and why you should skip the gel pedicure

UV sewage to beryllium kidding!

If you’re a regular astatine nail salons, you whitethorn beryllium dismayed to study that your pedicure may beryllium much of a pedi-curse.

“Getting pedicures, particularly astatine a nail salon, tin summation imaginable risks of bacterial, fungal and viral infections — nail salons are basking spots for toenail fungus,” podiatrist Dr. Saylee Tulpule told The Post.

Forget astir getting nan basking chromatic massage — because this news is simply a stone-cold bummer.

According to Tulpule, you should beryllium particularly cautious if you get nan consciousness that your technician is…not altogether competent. 

“Improper method by a nail technician tin besides lead to ingrown toenail infections aliases tegument breakdown, particularly if utilizing cuticle nippers aliases graters to record thick, callused skin,” she explained.

Other reddish flags to watch for

• Technician reuses devices aliases nan devices look soiled — they should travel from sterilized packaging
• Foot baths are not cleaned decently aliases a caller sterile container isn’t placed for a caller client
• Use of improper tools, for illustration graters and razor blades, which tin lead to cuts
• Nail polish appears excessively old

And we’ve sewage immoderate much bad news — gel pedicures whitethorn past longer, but they travel pinch their ain group of hazards.

Tulpule says nan UV ray whitethorn summation your consequence of skin cancer, while “thinning aliases weakening nan nail sheet anterior to applying nan durable gel color” tin harm nan nail.

“Gel polish creates a patient seal, and if moisture aliases trauma happens to nan nail plate, it tin summation one’s consequence of toenail fungus aliases bacterial infection — I spot this rather commonly successful my practice,” she said.

If you determine to spell nan salon route, it’s champion to BYONP, aliases polish astatine your ain peril.

“Bringing your ain nail polish tin trim chances of fungal nail transmission — fungal hyphae tin unrecorded successful betwixt nan bristles of nan brush,” she said.

“There are ‘cleaner’ brands that exclude harsh chemicals, for illustration toluene, DBP aliases formaldehyde,” she added. “Clean ingredients tin amended nail health.” 

And while getting your callouses shaved for illustration a chunk of perfectly-ripened Parmesan tin beryllium enormously satisfying — Tulpule recommends skipping for information reasons.

“Improper method aliases tools, specified arsenic utilizing a grater aliases razor, tin origin tegument breakdown and summation one’s chances of an infection,” she said.

“If nan calluses are shaved down aggressively, complete and complete again, they whitethorn re-grow thicker and harder pinch time.”

Whether you support your regular mani/pedi assignment aliases opt to conscionable DIY astatine home, it’s important to springiness nails a remainder from clip to time.

“I ever show my patients to fto them respire during nan fall/winter months, erstwhile 1 is much apt to deterioration close-toed shoes,” she said.

“Generally speaking, region polish each 4 to six weeks and springiness nails a break for 1 to 2 weeks.”

Salon scary stories — beryllium it botched acrylics aliases viral TikToks of green, oozing toenails — are each excessively common.

One female was near horrified aft she appeared to grow mold nether her acrylics.

Another female lost her toenail wholly after a regular pedicure.

Moral of nan story? When it comes to your feet, it pays to tread carefully.