Washington - It will soon be sandal season again, which means nail salons will be busy clipping, buffing and polishing toes. Tending those colourful toes, though, poses health risks.
The risks to consider include fungus, viruses and bacterial infections, says Gene Mirkin, a podiatrist at Foot & Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic in Kensington, Washington.
If the place you go to isn’t vigilant about how they treat the instruments between clients, there’s a greater possibility of picking up something that could make summer toenails painful.
And even the most skilled pedicurist will occasionally slip and cut the skin, says podiatrist Howard Osterman, who sees a few patients every week with toe infections from salon pedicures.
That’s fewer than he saw 15 or 20 years ago; he thinks pedicurists are better trained and salons more conscientious about hygiene now.
The risk, says Osterman, “really lies with the pedicurist wanting to do such a good job that they become too aggressive cleaning the cuticle, for example. They get their little scissors out and (push back and then) trim the cuticle, and that just opens the body up to infection.”
Podiatrists consider tampering with the cuticle, which helps anchor the nail to the skin, a major mistake. Pushing back the cuticle or clipping it, both of which are common during pedicures, can let bacteria in.
Gina Saffo, a podiatrist, says another common mistake made in pedicures is cutting nails too aggressively on the sides. This can lead to painful ingrown toenails that break the skin, sometimes requiring surgical treatment.
To avoid this problem, Saffo says, it’s important for pedicurists to cut the nails either straight across or with a slight curve, but not down into the corners.
Andrew Carver, a Washington podiatrist whose specialties include laser treatment of nail fungus infections, says that while people can acquire fungus at a salon, the average healthy person is not likely to walk out with diseased toenails and toes.
In most cases of toenail fungus, he says, “there’s an immune system defect”.
“Just make sure you aren’t being treated with a used pumice (a porous rock used for exfoliating skin can harbour bacteria) and don’t be afraid to ask questions” about sterilisation procedures.
The gold standard is to clean metal tools in an autoclave, a machine that sterilises instruments using high-pressure, high-temperature steam.
Cleaning tools in liquid disinfectant can kill most germs and viruses if they soak for at least 10 minutes, but that won’t guarantee sterility, the doctors say.
Saffo says, “The only way to know instruments are clean enough is if you see them coming out of a steriliser.” She suggests bringing your own pedicure kit.
“If they’re good-quality instruments, you can run them through the dishwasher at home at high temperature or soak them in ethyl alcohol.”
Bringing in your personal tools is acceptable in most salons, even though some may prefer to use their own sterilised tools in case a customer hasn’t done a good job of sterilising the equipment.
Some pedicurists use disposable emery boards, and metal tools are put into a steriliser pouch and autoclaved.
John Ngo, a pedicurist, installed glass bowls for foot-soaking in his salons because, he says, fibreglass or plastic bowls are porous and can harbour bacteria more easily.
His employees clean the bowls with “hospital-grade cleaner” that wipes out bacteria and viruses.
He says, “We can basically guarantee that customers who don’t come in with infections won’t walk out with something.”
Mirkin warns his patients about the whirlpool foot baths used in many pedicures because they are connected to piping that is difficult to sterilise.
Many podiatrists say higher-risk people should probably avoid salon pedicures, even at businesses conscientious about sterilisation .
This includes anyone with immune problems or poor circulation, such as people undergoing chemotherapy or with heart trouble or diabetes.
Diabetics don’t heal as well as others, says Saffo, and often don’t realise they’ve been cut because the disease can cause numbness.
People over 65 are also more susceptible to infection.
Foot care for those most at risk should be handled in a podiatrist’s office, leaving the application of nail polish to the salon, says Osterman, who has many patients who come to have their nails cut and calluses shaved.
Any procedure that might seem like even minor surgery is not salon-appropriate, he says.
Ngo says his workers are trained to recognise signs of illnesses and that, after confirming any illnesses or medical issues with a customer, they might agree to perform a simple polish, with no cutting.
Sometimes, though, his employees have turned away customers with severe diabetes.
“Some get upset,” he adds, “but we say, ‘It’s for your benefit’. We’re not doctors, we’re just basically beauticians, and we can only take it so far.” – Washington Post
Podiatrists’ tips for preserving foot health during a pedicure:
l Ask how instruments are sterilised. An autoclave is safest. Tools cleaned with a liquid disinfectant need to soak for at least 10 minutes to eliminate most bacteria and viruses.
l Opt for a salon that uses glass or metal foot bath bowls, since they are the easiest to keep clean.
l Consider taking your own instruments to the nail salon.
l Because nail polish used on many can harbour bacteria and fungus, consider bringing your own polish for the pedicurist to apply.