A valley woman says she got a bad deal at a local nail salon. But it's not the price of her pedicure she's upset about. It's the medical bills she was slapped with. Contact 13 looks at the cost of picking the wrong salon.
"My toe is throbbing and I kept going wow, this is painful," says Tamra Trainer.
It's a feeling she won't soon forget. She went to a valley nail salon for a pedicure and says something didn't feel right.
"As soon as I left I started getting foot pain. I thought that's weird," Trainer says.
Her foot gradually felt worse throughout the day. And that night, Trainer says her foot swelled two times its normal size.
"And then I touched it, and pus just came flying out. Like when you pop a boil," Trainer says.
Trainer went to University Medical Center, where she learned she had cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection.
"They put me on heavy duty antibiotics. I was wiped out. I couldn't work all week," Trainer says.
Was she told when she went to the emergency room that this was very dangerous?
"Yes, they did," Trainer says. "And I think the doctor even said I'm glad you came now, because if you had waited, it could've gotten pretty bad. It could've gotten in my bloodstream."
So what do you need to know the next time you get a manicure or pedicure? We went to Aveda Institute, where students are learning proper procedures. Cosmetology educator Jaime Stanford says make sure the technician wipes down their work area.
"Actually cleaning up the entire station, throwing away their disposable items, and getting new ones," Stanford says.
And tools should be properly sterilized.
"Put into some kind of hot water and soap, dry and then sprayed with a hospital grade disinfectant. And then it just air dries, and then it's put into some sort of closed container," Stanford says.
The technician's state license with the Board of Cosmetology should also be clearly posted and include their picture.
As for Trainer, she's not in a hurry to visit another salon any time soon.
"I'm a little hesitant getting another mani/pedi now... I mean $100 in medical bills. So lesson learned," Trainer says.
A good rule when visiting any new business is to check online reviews. And if you have an issue involving a salon, be sure to file a complaint with the Nevada State Board of Cosmetology, just like Trainer did.
