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Nail Salon Hygiene - What Your Nail Artist Doesn't Tell You While You're Getting Your Nails Done

Thinking of visiting a nail salon for a manicure or pedicure? This article explains how to protect yourself from infections when getting your nails done ... 

I was recently waiting to get my nails done at my local nail salon and came across an interesting article on nail salon hygiene while thumbing through a copy of Choice Magazine that someone had left on the table.

In this report, a group of 15 nail salon shadow shoppers was asked to visit professional nail salons and report on the hygiene levels of the salons visited. (I imagined myself being one of these lucky shadow shoppers and told to "go for it" at the nail salon, with all expenses paid - can you imagine? I'll take a french manicure, no ... wait! Make that a paraffin wax manicure, definitely a pedicure, gimme the latest nail fashion and make sure you use the best fingernail polish money can buy, or maybe I'll just go crazy and add Hollywood nails, no ... acrylic nails, no, wait ... how about some nail tattoos, or some airbrushed nail art ... oh I know! give me some of those fabulous Tammy Taylor nails ... oh how nice it is to daydream!)

Anyway, over 50 nail salons were visited and, according to the article, more than a third of the salons visited were found to be unsatisfactory, with their main complaints being bad hygiene standards, poor customer service and shoddily done manicures.

Upon entering the salon, the shadow shoppers were instructed to ask for a complete manicure (I'm guessing here that hollywood nails, or Tammy Taylor nails were not included in their budget!), and tell the nail artist that they had never had a professional manicure done before, then ask the salon professional to describe what the process entailed. They were also instructed to not allow the nail salon technician to use metal implements to cut or push back their cuticles in order to avoid any risk of infection. After the session was over, each of the participants were asked to fill a questionnaire, reporting on various aspects of their experience - levels of hygiene observed, how long the manicure took and how much it cost and whether the experience was a satisfactory one or not.

According to the report, 92% of the technicians who attempted to use metal cuticle clippers on the shadow shoppers didn't put on gloves. Even worse, they did not use an implement that was package-sealed, even though half of the nail technicians claimed the instrument had been autoclaved (autoclaving is the process of heating water above boiling point in a pressurized device - it is the safest way to sterilize equipment). The shoppers also reported several hygiene breaches on equipment such as nail files and buffers, which should either be disposable or cleaned between clients. A few salons had surfaces that weren't cleaned between clients and were covered in dust, or even pieces of skin. In one salon, a technician kept her dirty implements in the cash drawer.

Some of the actual comments from the survey participants regarding the low hygiene levels they experienced were as follows:

"[The technician] picked up the metal scissors ... used on someone else's feet ... she used them to cut some skin from [around] her own nail. She then went to use them on me."

"This salon had an overpowering smell that burnt my throat and made me feel ill."

"[the technicians] washed the handtowels in the foot spas."

"Counters and floors were dirty, instruments reused [and] technicians did not wash [their] hands at all."

"[The technician] had open wounds on her hands. I asked her to put gloves on."

Although different state departments of health have their own guidelines for health and safety that nail technicians are supposed to follow, a basic requirement of infection control is hand washing - either with soap and water, or a 70% alcohol (or alcohol and chlorhexidine) rub. According to basic hygiene guidelines, both the nail technician and their clients should clean their hands before a manicure. According to the reports submitted by the shadow shoppers, the majority weren't asked to wash their hands before the treatment, and only 8% of nail technicians were observed washing their hands directly before commencing the manicure. 64% of nail salon workers didn't wash their hands and in 28% of the visits, the shoppers reported not seeing whether the nail technician had cleaned their hands or not.

If a salon has overpowering fumes, it may be a sign of poor ventilation, especially where a salon engages in a lot of acrylic nail work. The preferred substance for making acrylic nails, ethyl methacrylate, can be hazardous if used in a salon without proper ventilation. A strong, unpleasant odour could also mean they're using dangerous substances, such as Methyl Methacrylate (MMA).

Something else to be aware of when getting nails done, are foot spas in nail salons. In 2000, an outbreak of Mycobacterial fortuitum in Northern California caused lower leg boils (which in some cases lated for months) as well as ulceration and scarring. This outbreak was traced back to the foot spas of a nail salon (researchers found 110 customers of this salon who had symptoms with 34 of them testing positive for the bacterium. The water inlets of this salon's foot spas were clogged with hair, skin and nails, which is an ideal ground for these bacteria). To prevent infectious bacteria and other bugs such as pseudomonas and fungi from forming, foot spas should be drained, cleaned with detergent, disinfected and then wiped dry. The water inlet screens (or the footplate if the spa isn't plumbed) should be removed and disinfected at the end of each day. As it's just about impossible to know what cleaning gets done once the salon is closed, if you're planning on getting a pedicure, ask the salon how they clean their foot spas.

What To Look For In A Nail Salon

Here are some of the things you look for when visiting a nail salon:

• Look for certifications of competency, which should be displayed prominently in the salon. A technician should have a Certificate in Nail Technology from a registered training organization.
• Use only accredited salons and technicians. For example, in Australia, the Australian Professional Fingernail Association (APFA)  has an accreditation scheme for both schools and nail technicians. you can find accredited nail technicians near you by visitng their website (go to www.apfa.net.au/accreditation.htm and type your postcode in the box under 'Find accredited nail technicians').
• The salon should be clean and tidy, with linen and towels changed between clients.
• All chemicals should be in clearly marked containers.
• Metal tools that could penetrate the skin should be sterilised in an autoclave.
• Non-disposable nail implements should be rinsed, scrubbed in tepid water and detergent and dried, or wiped with 70% alcohol between clients.
• Some nail salons keep implements especially set aside for each regular client. You should ask your nail technician to do this for you, if you are a regular client of a nail salon.
• Nail implements need to be clean and dry. Don't let anyone use an implement on you that's been left sitting in water, even if the water contains disinfectant.
• Don't use a foot spa if you've shaved your legs the night before or on the day of the pedicure, of if you have any cuts on your legs, as this makes you more vulnerable to infection.
• If you are having acrylic nails put on, ask your nail artist to explain the procedure, what products they're going to use and how to care for the nails at home.
• Don't be shy to ask questions about the manicure, the chemicals being used and how the implements have been cleaned.

My guess is that the nail salon placed a copy of the magazine on the table in purpose, as a way to welcome scrutiny and inspection from their clients. The salon I normally go to is very professional and clean, the technicians are highly competent and certified and all procedures are explained in great detail when asked. So, I went ahead and pampered myself for almost an hour and got myself some beautiful nails (included in the manicure was a nail bath, filing and buffing and cuticle work) and a massage. Maybe next time I'll go for nail tattoos or some Tammy Taylor nails!

Article Source: Choice Magazine - Independent Information For Smart Consumers. We highly recommend a subscription to this magazine.

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