Staying Safe at the Nail Salon

So I stopped going to the nail salon years ago. Why???? Well a report came out citing that a woman contracted Hep B from yup you guessed it, A NAIL SALON. while the chances of developing an infection at a nail salon is relatively low, it only takes one infection to make you regret your decision to get a pedicure. Common risks include contracting warts, bacterial infections of the skin (including antibiotic resistant staph infections), and fungal infections of the skin and nails. There have even been reports of herpes.

So, is your salon safe? Do your homework. Salons can and should protect their clients with properly applied preventative measures recommended by their state board
Most important, protect yourself.

* Choose your nail salon carefully. Evaluate the overall cleanliness of the facility. Look for nail clippings and debris on the floor. If the overall cleanliness is not up to your standards, go elsewhere.
* Invest in your own set of pedicure tools and clean them after each treatment. Disposable items including emery boards and toe spreaders are one-time use items and should be thrown away after use.
* Leave those cuticles alone. Your cuticles protect your nails from infection. It’s best to leave your cuticles alone, or alternatively push them back with an orange stick with it’s tip covered in cotton.
* Pain is a bad sign. A pedicure should be an enjoyable experience and should never hurt or sting. Inform your nail technician immediately if they’re doing anything that causes discomfort.
* Forgo the footbath. Footbaths have been reported to cause infection. If you can’t give up the footbath, at a minimum inquire how the salon cleans the footbath; better yet, bring your own tub liner.
* Do not let a nail technician use a razor blade to cut calluses.
* Immediately treat toe fungus. Toe fungus can spread to other toes quickly.
* Seek professional care if you develop an infection, or a cut or scrap fails to respond in a reasonable amount of time.


p.s. (If you must do a footbath just pour a few drops of tea tree oil into the water.)

smooches
NN