The part of your pedicure you don’t see
“I Got a Fungus From a Nail Salon”
So often, I hear people say, “I got a fungus from the nail salon I went to.”
This is where things become more complicated.
There isn't a medically established rule that toenail fungus will show up within a specific four-to-six-month period after exposure. Toenails grow extremely slowly—approximately 1 millimeter per month—and it can take approximately 12 to 18 months for a toenail to completely grow out.¹ Because fungal nail infections and the visible changes to the nail can develop gradually, it can be difficult to determine exactly when or where an infection began.
In that time, you have to think back. Did you bump or injure your toe? Has your toenail been repeatedly rubbing against your shoes? Was something already happening with the toenail that you weren't aware of? Or did you actually contract a fungal infection?
The difficult part is that you may never know simply by looking at the nail. Not every discolored, thickened, brittle, lifting, or damaged toenail is caused by fungus. Trauma and other nail conditions can closely resemble a fungal nail infection, which is why medical sources recommend diagnostic testing to confirm suspected onychomycosis.²
So, while someone may first notice a problem with their toenail weeks or months after receiving a pedicure, the timing alone cannot prove that a particular pedicure or nail salon caused the infection.
Sources
Elewski BE. Onychomycosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Toenails grow approximately 1 mm per month and generally require 12–18 months for complete replacement.
Frazier WT, Santiago-Delgado ZM, Stupka KC. Onychomycosis: Rapid Evidence Review. American Family Physician. 2021;104(4):359–367. Laboratory confirmation is recommended for suspected onychomycosis because other nail disorders can produce similar changes