Portland Lawsuit Claims Acrylic Nail Treatment Led to Herpes Infection

An employee at a Portland nail salon reportedly did not wear gloves while providing a customer with a set of acrylic nails, resulting in the customer contracting herpes. This claim was made in a lawsuit filed recently in Multnomah County Court.

The legal documents outline that a 31-year-old woman from Multnomah County visited PDX Nails on Northeast Glisan Street for a walk-in service in August 2025.

During the acrylic nail procedure, various tools, including a drill bit, were used, followed by a hand massage with lotion or oil. The day after her appointment, the woman began to feel an unusual burning and stinging sensation in her right hand and pinky finger.

Just a day later, she developed an itchy, fluid-filled blister on her hand.

According to the lawsuit, when she sought medical attention 11 days post-treatment, the doctor collected samples and indicated that her infection was likely caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 2.

She was advised that she might experience additional blisters, and a follow-up test in September 2025 confirmed the herpes infection. Unfortunately, this strain of herpes has no cure, meaning the woman will need to monitor future outbreaks.

The lawsuit asserts that the woman had no history of herpes prior to the nail treatment.

In addition, it points out that a state investigation in 2021 found PDX Nails was not adequately disinfecting previously used tools, notably the “used drill bits at the workstation.”

The investigation also revealed that the salon was failing to clean foot spa equipment correctly.

The attorney representing the woman, Amity Girt, is seeking $2.5 million in damages. Both PDX Nails LLC and the Oregon Health Authority, along with the Health Licensing Office, are named in the lawsuit.

The suit claims that the state endangered other customers by not taking action against PDX Nails even after another infection was reported in 2023.

It’s worth mentioning that Girt previously filed a lawsuit against PDX Nails in 2024 for almost $2 million, for a similar issue involving another woman who visited the salon for a manicure and subsequently experienced infection and inflammation, also diagnosed with the same strain of herpes. That case was dismissed in 2025 following a confidential settlement.

The Oregon Health Authority stated they are unable to comment on ongoing legal matters, and PDX Nails has yet to release any statement regarding the lawsuit.