Two customers were infected with genital herpes after getting their nails done at an Oregon salon years apart, according to an explosive new lawsuit.
A 31-year-old woman claims she contracted the virus during an acrylic manicure appointment last year at PDX Nails in Portland, The Oregonian reported, citing the court documents.
The $2.5 million suit, filed by the woman on Monday, alleges she’s the second customer in two years to contract genital herpes from the salon.
“It’s quite embarrassing,” the woman, identified in the suit as J.S., told the local publication. “I just went to get my nails done.”
During the appointment, the nail technician did not wear gloves while working on J.S.’ nails along with a hand massage using lotion or oil, the suit alleges.
A day after her appointment, J.S. felt “an unusual burning and stinging sensation” on the side of her hand and pinky.
The following day, an itchy, fluid-filled blister formed, which lingered for days, according to the court docs.
J.S. said she started showing people her hand, asking if they knew what could be going on.
“They were like, ‘Where did you get your nails done?’” J.S. recounted to the Oregon-based outlet.
“I was like ‘PDX Nails down on 122nd.’ And they were like, ‘No way. That place just had a lawsuit.’”
A month before J.S. went to PDX Nails, the salon had just settled a lawsuit with another customer who contracted the infection in 2023.
The other customer, identified only as S.R. in court papers, filed a $1.75 million lawsuit against the salon in 2024 and settled in July of the following year for an undisclosed amount, the publication reported.
J.S. stated in the suit that she has since had new outbreaks despite taking antiviral medications to reduce flare-ups of the disease that has no cure.
The suit also alleges J.S. did not have any prior exposure to the infection before getting her nails done.
In addition to the salon, the suit named the Oregon Health Authority and Health Licensing Office in the suit, claiming “incompetence.”
The lawsuit alleges state officials failed to strip the salon of its cosmetology license or take other actions that could have prevented J.S. from being exposed to the virus after the first customer contracted it.
PDX Nails has two locations within Portland — one of which was fined $500 in 2021 by the state’s Health Licensing Office and Board of Cosmetology for “failing to disinfect used tools” that “come in direct contact (with) a client,” the outlet reported.
An inspector also found “used drilling bits on the workstation” and was fined another $500 for failing to properly clean foot spa equipment.
However, the salon has not been issued any violations or fines by the state since 2021, state officials confirmed to The Oregonian.
As a mother, J.S. says she lives in fear of giving someone the virus through touch and has worn gloves while changing her baby’s diaper.
“I’m worried that I might mess up somebody else’s life because of this,” she told the local outlet.
PDX Nails declined to comment when contacted by The Post and the Oregon Health Authroity did not immediately respond.
The post Two customers infected with genital herpes at same nail salon years apart: lawsuit appeared first on New York Post.
