Nail Salon Safety: What You Should Know
A beauty salon does not sound like a dangerous place to be in. In general, it is a safe environment, but there are still a lot of potentially problematic substances and sharp tools being used. Training is required to use them properly. What can estheticians do to ensure their customers are not harmed in any way?
Nail Salon Safety and Sensitive Skin
Some people have sensitive skin which means that they can have allergic reactions to some of the products used in salons, some of which include the following:
- Cleaning solutions
- Nail polishes
- Hand/foot soaking solutions
The advice of dermatologists and manicurists is to test products on a single finger first. If there is no reaction, they can continue with the rest of the fingers or toes.
Infection: It Can Happen to You
Pathogens and other germs like to live in oxygen, moisture, and warmth. These are all plentiful in places where customers are soaking their hands and feet, so pathogens multiply quickly in these places.
Connections have been made between nail salons and staphylococcus, hepatitis C, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and other deadly substances. Remember that a manicure or pedicure involves the cutting and shaping of nails and cuticles. That means pointy objects will be wielded with the best intentions, while nasty bacteria are present everywhere.
All it takes is for someone to be a bit careless or poorly trained and she might:
- Graze your skin
- Cut your skin
- Cut a nail too short or push a cuticle too far back
If the environment is not clean, then staphylococci multiply and invade.
How to Ensure Nail Salon Safety
One way you can ensure nail salon safety for yourself is to visit only approved salons. Look for accreditation, awards, and associations with regulatory bodies. Ask to have a tour before committing to your session in the chair. You will be looking for cleanliness, even trying to smell it. Do beauticians wear gloves? Do not be afraid to ask questions about cleanliness.
Sterilization of Equipment
Find out more about how equipment is sterilized. See for yourself what types of solutions are used to soak them. Learn the protocol for cleaning a footbath: is this done daily or after every customer?
Safety for Manicurists
All of these safety measures are important for manicurists as well. They are the ones at greatest risk of cutting themselves and contracting illness. Manicurists are the ones exposed to sharp objects and the germs brought in by the different clients.
Wearing gloves creates a barrier for them, not just for consumers. There are latex-free gloves available to minimize the risk to latex-sensitive clients. A clean environment will reduce a manicurists risk of infection should she cut herself. Professionally trained nail technicians are in a better position when it comes to nail salon safety; therefore, if you want to join the elite group of professional cosmetologists, we at Evergreen Beauty College can offer you the skills necessary to become a skilled nail technician. Schedule an tour today!
