What Caused Bethenny Frankel's Face Infection? Video Update Suggests This Everyday Item Is The Cause
Imagine going on vacation to a luxury hotel in St. Barts and ultimately getting an infection to bring home as a souvenir. That's apparently what happened to reality TV star Bethenny Frankel, according to the TikTok post she shared in January 2026, which showcased a type of skin rash featuring red bumps along the side of her cheek.
As she explained in a later TikTok, the rash was a bacterial infection. (Here's the real difference between bacteria and viruses.) In the TikTok video, she claimed that the infection stemmed from the unclean towels she used. Additionally, she told her viewers that towels "hold onto bacteria." But is Frankel correct? Are dirty linens the actual culprit?
According to microbiologist Charles Gerba, Frankel's correct about some towels harboring bacteria. In a Time interview from 2017, he asserted, "After about two days, if you dry your face on a hand towel, you're probably getting more E. coli on your face than if you stuck your head in a toilet and flushed it."
Is cleaning enough to remove bacteria from towels?
"The longer the towel stays damp, the longer the yeasts, bacteria, molds and viruses remain alive and stay active," dermatologist Dr. Alok Vij told Cleveland Clinic. He added that towels can be the cause of a wide range of health problems, triggering dermatitis and spreading fungal infections. Fortunately, Frankel found relief from her infection by taking antibiotics.
That said, Frankel claimed that even if you cleaned towels, you couldn't get rid of existing bacteria. That's not quite the way it works, though. CNET reports that towels should be washed in water at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit and fully dried to limit the possibility of bacteria growth. Basically, you can get a towel back to a clean state if you follow precautions and wash your towels every few uses. But regardless of whether or not towels can be sanitized, Frankel has vowed never to use hotel towels or sheets again.