If you're not careful, you could end up leaving the salon with more than colorful toenails. Poor sanitation can spread fungi, warts and bacteria; overly aggressive trimming and filing can cause injury and infection. You don't have to give up pedicures, but to avoid nasty surprises:
- Ask salon staff how instruments are disinfected. The safest method is sterilization in an autoclave; next best is a soak in a high-level disinfectant for at least 30 minutes. "Check the bottle — it should say 'tuberculocidal,'" advises dermatologist Shelley Sekula-Gibbs, M.D., of Baylor College of Medicine. Better yet, bring your own nail-care kit.
- Avoid metal blades for filing calluses. They can take off too much skin. Insist that the pedicurist use pumice (photo above).
- Keep your feet out of whirlpool baths. Their filters trap dirt and bacteria (outbreaks of painful boils on the lower legs have been traced to these). Opt for a "Roman bath" — a plain bowl that is washed with a disinfectant after each appointment.
From Good Housekeeping/ Posted by Mags
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