Phoebe Sheppard, 21, had her first set of nails done in October of last year, and she didn't have them removed until January. When she removed them, she saw that there were green "moldy spots" all over her fingernails.
The student's ten nails are seen in terrifying photos as being covered with green, murky patches, which are caused by a fungus that grew under her finger when water became stuck.
Following this sobering realization, Phoebe sought guidance from a pharmacist and was given a fungus serum to rub on her green moldy nails.
However, the teenager was forced to let the blotches grow out on their own after attempting other cures and using the ointment without success.
Phoebe, a beauty-loving teenager, endured two months of embarrassment as green moldy fungus sprouted out of her nails following back-to-back acrylic manicures.
Her friends jokingly referred to her nails as "moldy claws," adding to her discomfort. Reflecting on her ordeal, Phoebe now urges others to learn from her experience and give their nails a chance to breathe between manicures.
She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing nail health and taking breaks from artificial enhancements to avoid similar consequences.
Phoebe 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.
"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 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 moldy 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 moldy or dirty."
Phoebe's TikTok video detailing her nail fungus experience has ignited a wave of controversy and sparked discussions surrounding nail health and beauty treatments.
With over 800,000 views, Phoebe's revelation has brought attention to the conflicting advice she received from her technician and social media users. While her technician dismissed the condition as "normal," concerned viewers on social media urged her to seek treatment.
"I would say to people to not get their nails infilled more than once. You need to let your nails breathe [and have them taken off] so moisture doesn't get stuck down them," Phoebe explained.
She added: "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."
The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is commonly responsible for the green discoloration associated with green nail condition.
Why can't you just let your nails grow, shape, and buff them yourself then you will not have green moldy nails simply, one user said.
I had acrylics on for years and this never happened. It would appear the acrylic wasn't applied properly, the second explained.
You can only have them filled twice. For you to get mold like that, that means they haven't been applied correctly, to begin with, another insisted.
