An Oregon woman is suing her nail salon for $1.75 million — after claiming a manicure gave her herpes.
The customer, 23, who has not been named, visited the salon in June 2023 for the beauty treatment which saw her nails cut, filed and shaped.
But immediately afterward, she noticed inflammation and swelling in two of her fingers and said she started to feel unwell.
Four days later, however, painful blisters appeared on his skin. The patient was rushed to the hospital and later diagnosed with genital herpes.
The woman, who filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court, which covers the state capital of Portland, said she did not have herpes before but had been infected in the living room.
The photo above, shared by the 23-year-old from Oregon, shows herpes on one of her fingers.
She says she caught the bug after getting a manicure at PDX Nails in Portland, Oregon.
In the lawsuit, she claims the technician did not wear gloves, which could have prevented the spread of possible infections.
The technician also allegedly stored drill bits used to shape the nails in a mint tin, from the Altoids brand.
The woman is seeking damages from the salon — PDX Nails in Portland — claiming the infection left her in pain and suffering regular breakouts in her hands.
This required her to wear bandages on her fingers to conceal the wounds which sometimes prompted questions.
The woman, known only as SR, also fears she will never get rid of the infection and will have to watch out for her future children – as herpes can remain latent in the body for decades.
She said Oregon live: “Flare-outs can be super, super painful. It’s always on my mind.
“People asked, ‘What happened to your finger?’ “. “I don’t want to tell them what it really is because it’s really embarrassing.”
The lawsuit names Tam Nguyen, who is listed as the salon’s manager, and Hai Nguyen, who is listed as the salon’s owner, as defendants.
Neither responded to requests for comment.
The woman also revealed that she had been giving herself manicures since she was around eight years old, regularly accompanying her mother to salons.
On several occasions, she said she visited the businesses for fun, such as for birthday parties or girls’ nights out.
Plaintiffs have previously won damages following injections at a nail salon.
In 2002, a Colorado woman was awarded $3.1 million after discovering she had contracted herpes following a manicure using non-sterile instruments. And in 2021, a Florida woman was awarded $1.75 million by a salon after it emerged she suffered an infection that led to her leg being amputated.
In 2012, a Multnomah County jury also awarded $900,000 to a Portland woman after she contracted herpes from her date, who had sex with her without informing her of her status.
Herpes is usually spread through sexual contact, but the virus can also be spread through contact with contaminated surfaces, such as toilet seats and bedding.
Warning signs appear within two to 12 days after an infection and may include painful blisters, fever, swelling, and muscle pain.
If left untreated, it can lead to more serious blisters on the infected area, usually in the mouth or around the genitals.
Doctors say it can cause patients to have difficulty with daily activities, including eating, drinking, sleeping and speaking, due to pain and discomfort.
Treatment options include over-the-counter antivirals and pain relievers, but patients may suffer from repeated flare-ups because the virus can remain latent in the body for years.
According to data, approximately 570,000 herpes infections are recorded in the United States each year.