To think 5 cuts from my manicurist is 5 too many?

[Toughtips]

Had a manicure yesterday, not a cheap one either and I've counted 5 paper cut type cuts on my fingers. One bled but the lady carried on like nothing happened. Is that normal or would you not go back? I could understand one little accident but to have 5 little cuts is that not just a rush job?

Are the cuts from filing? I wouldn't go back, one cut is bad enough, they hurt like hell, but 5 suggests she wasn't paying attention.

YANBU
I have never been cut when having a manicure. Don’t go back.

Yeah from filing. Theyre painful. Didn't know if i was just being sensitive about it.

I don't expect anyone to cut me. Unless they're a surgeon, I suppose. I hope you didn't leave a tip.

No I didn't. Won't be going wth her again

I meant a fingertip 😁

If they are good at their job you shouldn't get any, to not acknowledge cutting you so badly you bled is bad customer service. I am wondering if she filed her files, new file should be filed on the edges to remove the factory edge which can be incredibly sharp. This could be why she cut you so many times. Could you report it to the manager as a training issue?

Yeah could be, she did pull a new file out cos my nails had gotten long. Awkward thing is she is the owner!

No, not acceptable.

One or two I would deem ok but 5 cuts from filing alone would indicate she didn’t ‘season the file’ or hasn’t had enough training/ experience to provide a good treatment.

Gosh isn't there a risk of getting essentially a "needlestick" injury if she's cut you open (admittedly on a new file so hopefully not, but what about other customers?)

@Gladioli23 that's what I was thinking. It may have been new when the manicurist took ot out of the pack for the OP, but it isn't any more. Subsequent clients could theoretically be/have been at risk. And I would assume this person is as careless generally regarding hygiene & safety.

I wouldn't go back & I'd give feedback why.

This happened to me once when I had a manicure, it did hurt like hell.

Do they not use a new file for each customer? Last time I had mine done (it’s a rare treat for me) she asked if I wanted to keep the file, else it was going in the bin as she used new for each customer. Not sure if this is new since covid.

I had this having extensions once a couple of cuts and it was so painful. It was a cheap place, and I didn't feel happy with the service or particularly happy with the hygiene standard.

Yes absolutely there is the possibility of spreading blood Bourne diseases if hygiene standards are not adequate. Did she have sterilising fluid out at least? Did she discard the file? HIV would be incredibly unlikely (it dies off within seconds outside the body), whereas hep b or c can live a lot longer outside the body. That she pretended not to have cut you instead of cleaning up any blood and applying first aid is really shoddy. I would report this to the county, who have to approve that nail businesses are hygienic and have the power to investigate the hygiene standard and even shut them down. I'm sure you will be fine on this occasion, but it is poor practice and someone else may not be so lucky.

One cut is bad enough, but five is completely unacceptable. I'd have said something to her at the first cut.

I wouldn't go back.

There are countless nail technicians/manicurists out there. Perhaps one of your friends can recommend a good one local to you.

It should be a new file per client, yes. The electric files have replaceable tops so they can be replaced between clients as well. Covid or otherwise. It's basic infection control.

Metal instruments should be cleaned, disinfected and sterilised between clients as well. Not just to avoid spreading BBVs but also the much more common things in nail salons like nail fungus

Nail files can be sterilised. In a UV steriliser or there is a spray for files. Mundo spray. It disinfects the file. You then need to leave it to dry so it can’t be used directly on the next client.

A manicurist once made my cuticle bleed a little when trimming it. She was very apologetic and cleaned it for me and stopped it bleeding before continuing the manicure. I had many manicures from her and it only happened once.

Not acceptable.
The salon near my house made me bleed while cutting my cuticle. V apologetic but it happened again the next time so I never went back.
If she didn't acknowledge it I would have pointed it out to her at the time.