Student left with fungus on nails after back-to-back acrylic manicures

A mortified student was left with green mouldy fungus sprouting out of her nails for over two months after she underwent back-to-back acrylic manicures.

Phoebe Sheppard, 21, got her initial set of nails put on in October last year and it wasn't until January that she had them taken off. Upon removal, she discovered her fingernails were covered in green 'mouldy spots'. 

Horrifying pictures show all 10 of the student's nails dotted with green, murky spots - as fungus had grown under them from water getting trapped. 

After making the grim discovery, Phoebe went to a pharmacy for advice and was handed a fungal serum to apply to her infected nails.

But when her blotches didn't disappear after using the ointment and trying several other remedies, the teenager had no choice but to leave the spots to grow out on their own.

Phoebe said she spent two months 'embarrassed' as she waited for them to grow out and said her friends joked about her having 'mouldy' claws.

The beauty-loving teen has now urged other people to give their nails a chance to 'breathe' between manicures to avoid the same fate that she did last Christmas.

Phoebe, from Birmingham in the West Midlands, said: 'After getting my first set of acrylics in October for my birthday, the nail lady told me it was okay for me to keep getting them infilled instead of having them removed every time.

What causes green nail syndrome? 

Green nail syndrome is an infection that can develop in individuals whose hands are frequently submerged in water, resulting in green discolouration of the nails.

It is usually caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is linked to hands being constantly moist or exposed to chemicals; or in individuals who have damaged or traumatised nails.

The seal between the nail and finger acts as a physical barrier to prevent infection, however hyper-hydration or destruction of the epidermis can impair the barrier, allowing the bacteria to colonise.

The nail turns green due to the bacteria secreting pigments such as pyocyanin and pyoverdin.

'It was only after having them infilled twice that she suggested I had a fresh set put on and this is when I found the green spots on my nails.

'I was just using everything I could to treat it but nothing was really working so I just had to wait for it to grow out.

'They didn't hurt at all but it was a bit embarrassing having funny-looking nails for a while. Lots of my friends joked that I had mouldy nails.

'I think lots of people looked at my nails and thought I was really dirty but I was washing my hands a lot and this is how it happened by getting moisture trapped down my nails.

'It was just not a very nice thing to look at. At first look they just looked mouldy or dirty.

'It took a few months for them to fully grow out. I had a green splodge on every single nail, it was in the same spot on every single nail.

Phoebe posted a video on TikTok to raise awareness about what happened to her, which has racked up more than 800,000 views.

Stunned Phoebe said she received conflicting advice over her nails, with her technician reassuring her it was 'normal' while horrified social media users urged her to get treatment.

After researching her symptoms, Phoebe now believes the green spots were caused by moisture getting trapped under her nails, which is known as chloronychia or green nail syndrome.

Green nail syndrome is often caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes the green discolouration.

Phoebe, a student at Falmouth University, said: 'My nail tech told me that the green spots were normal but everyone on TikTok was telling me it wasn't and I needed to get treatment.

'It's just trapped water under my nails. It's when the acrylic isn't completely sealed onto your nails and moisture gets in. It's completely put me off having acrylics done.

'I would say to people to not get their nails infilled more than once. You need to let your nails breath [and have them taken off] so moisture doesn't get stuck down them.

'Greens on your nails can be normal but it isn't normal to get them on every nail like I did and in the same spot.'

One user wrote: 'Your sign to change your nail technician.'

Another added: 'It's caused by moisture being trapped between your nail and enhancement.'

A third commented: 'That's due to moisture under the acrylics lovely. Nails don't actually need a break.'

A fourth added: 'This is why I paint them at home now.'