How to Know If Your Nail Salon Is Safe

Image Source: Getty / Jason Szenes

By now, your Christmas manicure is probably done, your new mani is looking great, and the heat marks are fading! But before you leave your manicure in a clean paper bag, remember to also make sure that your nail salon is clean! Nail salons can be dangerous if employees aren’t hygienic and safe, so find out how you can protect yourself against these six red flags.

You smell strongly perfumed

If you notice odors on your nails, the salon may be sanitary, but it might not be sanitary enough for you! When nail technicians apply base coats, they must wash their hands and use soap and water to prepare and clean before each round. But when you’re rubbing your hands and toes in the same room with tools used to apply polish, it can be tough to distinguish between unclean hands and clean ones — especially if the work is being done between 4 and 6 p.m. while you have all day to use the bathroom.

You feel like there’s mold on your fingers

You shouldn’t be sweating on your nails, and if there’s a strange, greasy, or red, goopy feeling like mold on your fingertips (your fingernails), you should definitely call out the nail salon on your vacation! There’s a chance that these conditions can cause health problems, including psoriasis and allergies. On top of that, it’s important to be sure that your salon doesn’t use toxic chemicals. Some commercial-grade nail polishes, for example, can be toxic if you add other toxic chemicals in combination — in which case you should probably stay away.

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Your nails are chapped

This is actually a good thing! Chapped nails may occur when there’s too much rubbing on your hands and you break or chip your nails. But if your nails are really chapped, it may be a sign that your salon is improperly sterilized. Also know that this can also happen to your toes, so don’t just slap it on and treat it with cheap nail lacquer. You’ll want to ask about your salon’s sterilization practices!

You find scabs on your fingers

We all break skin when we need to have something cleaned, and we don’t always do it right when we do it, so this isn’t really a bad thing! But you should definitely take a look at your nails for any scabs, which could be caused by the salon not washing its hands properly. But if you find a scab or swelling on your nails, you may want to head to the emergency room.

You cut yourself or get cut at work

Your nail salon can be in a public setting, and you could leave your hand there and cut yourself while you’re prepping for the manicure. But if you see blood on your hand after it’s over, you should speak up — and call out the salon on its sterilization practices!

You experience infections

The salon could be clean, but if they don’t get your wounds properly cleaned before the nail lacquer application, they could expose you to bacteria, molds, or fungus, all of which can lead to infection. Nail salons must be licensed by the state of New York, so you can contact your local health department to see if this is something they’re looking into.