Infections linked to pedicures are now appearing in a third of Bay Area counties and victims are facing permanent scarring.

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Pedicure Infections Go Unchecked

A shortage of health inspectors makes the trip to the salon a risky pleasure, NBC11's Jean Elle reported Monday.

Mollie Ricksen has an infection doctors say is linked to bacteria growing in spa pedicure chairs.

She's been on antibiotics since last June. After six months, she went off the medication and the sores came back.

Ricksen is just one of hundreds of women coping with painful, scarring infections on their legs.

Contra Costa County is the latest to see an outbreak.

The health department is currently investigating 17 complaints.

So far, four are confirmed cases.

Eleven salons are involved.

Santa Clara County recently investigated 147 complaints and confirmed 25 cases at 33 salons.

In 2000, Santa Cruz County investigated 400 complaints and confirmed problems at 105.

All of the Santa Clara cases were tied to one salon.

The problem comes from bacteria growth in the jets of the foot spa chairs that are not cleaned properly.

Nail salons are required to clean the spas daily and flush the system with bleach every two weeks.

But in California, practioners may as well be on the honor system because there are only 17 health inspectors in the entire state charged with monitoring about 37,000 salons.

The industry is growing rapidly.

The Board of Barbering and Costmetology says 80 to 90 licenses are issued every week.

Board members say 17 is not enough.

The board is hoping the state will allocate the $400 needed to hire the additional inspectors.

In the meantime, public health experts recommend doing your own inspection before putting your toes in a tub.

Experts say asking aobut cleaning routines may prevent months of agony.

Customers should also make sure the salon and manicurist are licensed by the state.

Ricksen says asking about your salon's cleaning routine may feel akward, but the alternative is painful.