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Sydney Woman's Manicure Horror: Sepsis Battle
27 Nov, 2025
Summary
- A Sydney woman contracted sepsis from a manicure.
- She underwent six surgeries and had part of her thumb amputated.
- She urges others to use certified, sterile nail salons.
A Sydney woman's quest for 'cute nails' resulted in a near-fatal battle with sepsis after a manicure appointment. Claudia Ruffin fell dangerously ill within hours of her visit to an eastern suburbs salon, experiencing rapid heart rate, blurry vision, and numbness.
Doctors discovered red tracking lines from her thumb up her arm, indicating a severe infection. She was rushed into emergency surgery, undergoing six operations in 18 days. The aggressive bacteria necessitated the partial amputation of her thumb to prevent further spread of the blood poisoning.
Ruffin believes unsterilized equipment at the salon caused the strep infection that escalated into sepsis. She is now urging others to be vigilant about beauty treatment safety, emphasizing the need for certified salons and sterile practices to avoid such devastating consequences.
