Pedicures and Manicures have become a luxury that is loved by people from many countries. Not just only for women; it surely wouldn't be a surprise to see male having his feet given this beauty treatment down at the local nail salon.
Even if you are on a budget you can still treat yourself to this soothing luxury, as it's easy to put together your own spa and relax at home in comfort and create amazing pedicures and manicures. But, if you decide to use your local salon or spa for your next manicure and pedicure, you should be aware of a few things before putting your feet into the pedicure spa.
Firstly, not all salons and spas are equally created. They might all look the same inside and out, employ attractive looking staff and pay the same salary, and their price list may also be the same, but the differences can be major.
If you think of the restaurants in your town, there will be at least one of them that probably has (or has had) a failed health & hygiene inspection that your totally unaware of as you sit and enjoy that delicious filet steak and chips that you have eaten there many times before.
Well, the same holds true with nails salons and spas. You won't catch salmonella or see a health inspection score posted when you walk in, but there are standards that these places must hold up in order to safely serve their clients.
If you do decide to go to a salon for your manicure or pedicure, be aware of the staff and your surroundings and the tools they use. Ensuring the foot bath is of a very clean standard; the foot bath should have been drained and cleaned thoroughly with an anti-bacterial solution after the completion of the previous client's pedicure.
The employee should ensure that the bath is not just effortlessly wiped down, but cleaned thoroughly with the proper cleaning tools and cleaner. If not cleaned properly these luxurious and comforting warm foot baths are an ideal residence for bacteria of many types. Not only do these footbaths harbour such infectious bacteria, but they can also contain flakes of skin and hair from previous clients.
One reputable salon in California was closed down due to women experiencing large, really painful boils on their legs after receiving a pedicure. This was found to be due to improper sanitation of the footbaths.
With manicures, the instruments used (tweezers, nail files, cuticle sticks, etc...) should be soaked in a sanitizer to prevent the spread of germs from one client to client. If a client is nicked during a manicure, an entry is provided for harmful bacteria and can be very dangerous if the salon fails to properly sanitize their equipment.
In addition to cleaning their tools thoroughly, manicurists should also be aware and ensure their workstation is cleaned properly between clients. This means that clean paper towels and a cleaning solution (such as Clorox or Lysol) this should be used to wipe down the work area to prevent germs and bacteria spreading.
Before you go get your next pedicure or manicure, there are some tips to follow to protect yourself. Ask around about the salon or spa you plan to visit and see if there any complaints about the service. Once you're there, ask to see the manicurist's license and look for disinfectant containers - be sure the solution is fresh and not old. It's perfectly acceptable if you prefer to bring your own manicure tools, just to stay on the safe side and protect yourself.
