How come so many people are being infected through contaminated cross shared manicure and pedicure instruments?

In NZ we have currently no government regulation in this area.  We have however had many TV programs outlining the un-savory and dirty practices of many work places, there have been many documented cases of infection and disfigurement as a result.  It is up to us to ask questions and be aware of the environment that we are in.

Watch this you-tube clip featuring the real dangers of poor clinic hygiene during pedicures.

With so many lawsuits world wide connected to deaths, chronic infections and disfigure-ment from pedicures, you think that the public would be campaigning for reform.  Just the opposite in fact is true, most consumers completely blow off the risks and have the “it won’t happen to me” attitude.   Unfortunately, along with that pretty pedicure you can take home :  hepatitis B and C, cutaneous herpes, warts, bacterial and fungal infections.  These can be deadly, especially in the diabetic or immune compromised patients.

So before you kick off your shoes, consider the potential downsides of pedicures.

 A 43 year old San Jose, California woman’s husband, remembers the small cut on her toe that led to her death from a skin infection in 2004. 

A 46 year old Ft Worth, Texas mother left the pedicure salon with a small abrasion on her heel and died of a staph related illness in Feb 2006.  Her family is still embroiled in a wrongful death lawsuit.

“Death by Pedicure” is the first  inside book on the “dirty secrets of nail salons” Dr Robert Spalding, Jr, TN Podiatrist, has spent 10 years lecturing on the problems in the nail salon industry.  This book goes into detail concerning foot and nail infections that have been mentioned by every major news station and different documentaries across the USA, UK, Australia, South Africa and NZ.

There are many simple precautions that consumers can take and questions the consumers can ask to protect themselves.

  1. What does the clinic/spa look like ? if it is not clean and shiny like a doctors office, simply DON’T stay.
  2. Is the Pedi-Chair internationally compliant - pipe-less and gravity drained meaning there is no use of contaminated water.
  3. Is the Pedi-Chair thoroughly cleaned after every use with a hospital grade disinfectant?
  4. Ask about sanitations procedures. Instruments should be autoclaved, or heat cleaned just like surgical instruments. 
  5. Nail files/ Pedi Paddles/ Callous Shavers, definitely should not be re-used, they should be brand new for each client.
  6. Ensure the therapist/technician wears protective gloves.
  7. Never let a non qualified therapist use a sharp blade to trim a callus or cuticle. This puts you more at risk.  If your callouses or heel fissures are that thick,  request a nurse or qualified practitioner within the clinic/spa.  Tools that use razor blades may only be used by a medical practitioner or a therapist/technician trained in podiatry. Callouses provide cushioning between you and the ground, and removing too much of the toughened skin  can make it hurt to walk. A gentler option is to soften your feet with a pumice stone, foot file or exfoliating scrub.
  8. Do not feed your feet to the fish. The trend of using so called “doctor fish” to eat up dead skin on peoples feet is one you might like to skip, the fish transfer disease and carry a range of potentially dangerous bacteria.
Pedicure/manicure providers are definitely improving their sanitation and trying to make you safer, but you must as a savvy consumer, demand a safe pedicure or you and your family will be sorry.

    At All About You  Medi-Spa we offer you the highest standards available for your pedicure.

     State of the Art internationally accredited Pedi-chairs
    Pedi-chairs are pipeless and gravity drained so no contamination between clients
    Pedi-Chairs are Sterilized  between clients with Pedi Genie, and over night with a Pedi Genie Chlorine Bomb
    Sterilized tools come out of a clean bag - just for you!
    We give you your files that we use to take home with you, definitely no re-using of files, making sure that there is no cross contamination.

     

    In case you have already had a bad experience with dirty salons and suffer from toe nail fungus, we are offering a Yag laser treatment, giving you the advanced care that you need.      

    Paraffin Wax as a luxurious add on to your pedicure has many healing and skin benefits for your feet.  Gentle pedicures with paraffin wax are designed for  clients who suffer from diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, high risk pregnancy, chemotherapy, and other disorders that might be contra-indicated to pedicures.  

    Paraffin wax is a heat therapy treatment which increases blood flow and relaxes muscles, it improves joint stiffness and reduces pain. Paraffin wax can even soften hard skin caused by scleroderma, a disease which collagen accumulates on the body.   Your skin on your feet is softened and improved especially in tough calloused areas.

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