When asked what my favorite season is
I would have to say spring.
I admit, I’m
a bit biased as I was born in the spring.
While I do so love the warm weather of summer and beautiful colours of
fall, I think I love spring most as it signifies the end of winter, the last of
the snow and getting back into sandals or at the very least open-toed
shoes!
Wearing shoes that show off your
toes often means a mad dash to your closest nail salon to have your feet and
toes gussied up.
Most nail salons see a steady parade
of business throughout the year. Nails get cut and filed, feet soak in tubs,
cuticles get pushed back and trimmed, and calluses get buffed. And while the
majority of nail salon visits won't send you on your way with anything other
than an excellent manicure and pedicure, customers and salon workers are at
risk for spreading infections. In fact
there have been numerous outbreaks associated with poor cleaning and
disinfection practices at nail salons and spas over the years. The following are merely some of the bugs you
should be on the lookout for!
Despite its
name, athlete's foot affects people regardless of their athletic
prowess. It's the common name for Tinea
pedis, a fungal infection
that requires a moist, confined environment to take root and spread. Unfortunately, the pedicure baths of a salon or
spa provide the perfect breeding ground due to the amount of feet that get put
into the same tub; most of which are far from clean so you may want to spend a
little time focusing on the cleanliness of the salon you’re in. A fungus isn’t so easily removed from the
surfaces it grows on, so a light cleaning may not rid a tub of its presence.
Frequent use of a disinfectant that carries a fungicidal claim is the best way
to prevent spa clients from getting athlete's foot from a foot tub.
Warts are caused by
a contagious virus called Human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many different
strains of the virus (such as the type that can cause cervical cancer), but
only a few different kinds spur the overproduction of skin cells that results
in warts. Warts
spread through person-to-person contact when HPV makes contact with a break in
the skin or when a salon worker uses the same pumice stone for different
clients. Most salons offer new pumice stones but if you want to be absolutely
sure, you can always bring your own to lower the risk of getting warts.
Antibiotic resistant organisms are
also a concern. In recent years, you've
likely noticed an uptick in stories about a type of staph infection called Methicillin
Resistant Staphylococcus aureus; the
dreaded MRSA. MRSA infections can lead to severe scarring, amputation and even
death. Though not common, MRSA
is known to be spread at nail salons, leading to infections on hands or
feet and beneath fingernails. MRSA can be spread through the sharing of improperly
cleaned nail instruments or reusing nail files. Symptoms usually appear
within 24 hours and you'll likely experience pain in your hands or feet. The
swollen, red skin around the infected area will crack open and ooze pus.
This last nasty bug might give you a
good reason not to shave your
legs. You can get Mycobacterium fortuitum from foot baths and the risk is
greatly increased when a soak is preceded by leg shaving. M. fortuitum infections consist of large boils on the toe,
foot or leg. These boils may be surrounded by smaller bumps. Sometimes they
heal on their own, but sometimes they linger and can even turn into open
sores. M. fortuitum boils
can be lanced by a medical professional and treated with extremely potent
antibiotics, but unfortunately, these boils and sores can cause heavy scarring. To avoid getting this bug, pay attention to
any regional reports of M. fortuitum outbreaks.
The long and the short is that we
should not be afraid to ask the salon owner about the establishment's cleaning
procedures. If you want to learn more about how you can keep safe at your
next manicure or pedicure appointment check out our Pedicure Peril education
campaign! We hope your next manicure or
pedicure will be a relaxing and infection free experience!
Bugging Off!
Nicole
