Many of us have safety and hygiene concerns when it comes to the local salon, so picking the right one is truly important. Recently during a local news report they surveyed and took samples from a variety of nail salons in the New York area. Shockingly they found fecal matter, bacteria that can cause meningitis, antibiotic resistant infections, urinary track infections, and they even found one bacteria that can cause pneumonia.
How can you stay safe when getting a manicure or pedicure? Here are a few suggestions from the news report:
1. Bring your own disposable latex gloves. This protects you and the nail technician. Just in case the nail technician hasn’t washed their hands you’ll have these on hand (no pun intended). When surveyed 80% of the customers indicated that the technician did not wear gloves when they visited a nail salon.
2. The next thing you should look for or know is whether or not the salon in question is using an autoclave to sanitize their tools. The autoclave uses steam and pressure at about 270° for about 30 minutes which sterilizes the tools.
3. If you are very concerned about the safety of the pedicure tub it is highly suggested to get a dry pedicure which is in trend. However, if you don’t want to give up the water and that process, look for a salon that uses single disposable liners.
“If you’re not in tip-top shape, you may want to reconsider getting a pedicure. People who have compromised immune systems, such as diabetics, people with HIV, the elderly or anyone with vascular disease or circulation problems, are more at risk.
You’re also more vulnerable for infections just after you shave your legs. By shaving, the razor creates microtears in the skin, which can allow bacteria to be introduced right into the legs. This can cause serious infections, like cellulitis. “You can literally end up in a hospital,” Sutera says. She recommends waiting at least two days after shaving before going in for a pedicure.” (Huffington Post)
The general rule of thumb is that there are really good places to get a pedicure and there are bad places. Lastly, “make sure they practice good hygiene, that their soaking solutions are changed frequently, and their instruments sterilized before each use.” (Medical Daily)
