Does A Cut Caused By Electronic Nail Drill File Cause Any Infection?

Posted on Mon, 21 Apr 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 21 Apr 2014 Answered on

Thu, 8 May 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi i had a nail salon appointment yesterday and i had an existing cuticle cut before going, my technican made the cuticle cut bleed with her electronic nail drill file. She had used the file to file down four of my nails prior to making contact with my nail with the cut cuticle, she then put cream from a tube on it. Am i at risk of infection? Not sure if the drill bit was used on me only?

Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (3 hours later)

Brief Answer: Kindly tell important points Detailed Answer: Hello XXXX, Welcome and thanks for posting your query to the forum. I can understand your concern for possibility of any type of infection after the use of electronic nail drill file and the cut produced by it. Though you have provided good details but I request you to kindly tell certain important points: - How much time you spent in the room before the technician started the procedure ( a rough idea) or she started the procedure as soon as you entered. - Had the technician cleaned the instrument before starting the procedure. - Are you immunized for Hepatitis B. - Can you also please elaborate the exact kind of infection you are afraid of. Is it simple bacterial infection or some other kind of viral infection. Hope to hear soon from your side. Regards, Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (1 hour later)

Hi the cut wasnt produced by the file i already had it but the file made contact with it, i am not immunised for hep b. i had been at the salon about 5-10 mins i go there regularly. I have been reading on the internet about the risk of contracting hep b and c at Nail salons and now i am very worried. I dont believe there was blood from someone else on the file she used but i am unsure if it had not been used on someone else before me.

Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (9 hours later)

Brief Answer: Unliklely chnces of Hepatitis; can use HBIG Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for follow up and sending important details. After analyzing the complete situation I can make out that there is least of possibility of any infection including Hepatitis B also. The medical and scientific reason for the same is- electronic nail drill file generally and most commonly works on dead surface of nail. During this filing process there is least likely chances of XXXXXXX blood contact. It requires blood to blood contact to transmit any type of infection. In your case the file used must had been completely dry as you spent almost more than 10 minutes before the starting of the procedure. SO even if not blood but any body fluid had been present then must have had got dried up by the time of starting of procedure. Once any of body fluid comes in contact with air then it gets dried up therefore loses it infectivity. Therefore considering the above facts there is least likely chances of any infection. Additionally in most of good parlors it is a norm to disinfect the instrument before and after the procedure. SO the same must have had followed up making the chances of infection unlikely. Even if you are so much tensed and do not want to miss any chances then can go for Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) that destroy the hepatitis B virus. In my view it is not required but as you are not immunized so can be one of the safest measure to protect you as well relax your mind from any ague and rare possibility. I hope these information's will help you. If you have further queries I will be happy to help. "Wish you good health and early recovery from the problem" Regards, Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (12 hours later)

thank you very much for your response i am also following up with my doctor tommorow, thanks again :)

Answered by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (35 minutes later)

Brief Answer: You will not have any problem in future Detailed Answer: Hello XXXX, I am quite confident that the condition is quite simple one and you will not have any problem in future by this incidence. Always ensure that before going for any kind of procedures the instrument is thoroughly cleaned in front of you. Just make it sure in future to go for Hepatitis B vaccination. A minor precaution always better than major tensions. I hope these information's will help you. If you have further queries I will be happy to help or if not then can close the query and rate the answer. "Wish you good health" Regards, Dr Sanjay Kumar Kanodia (MD- Dermatology & Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj