Well girlies, it’s that time of year again….our tender tootsies, spent hibernating in hot, sweaty shoes all winter long, are dying to be exposed. Freed to the sunshine. Freed to gentle breezes. There is nothing better than the first sandal-wearing day of summer. Mmmmmm, I relish the moment.
Like most women, I spend every chance I get in my sandals, from the first warm day of spring, to the last in autumn. BUT...these little piggies of ours, they don’t look so purrty after spending the winter all cramped up - so what do we do? We get pedicures. We get pedicures, and more pedicures, and more pedicures. Do I get pedicures? NO. Have I ever had a pedicure? Yes. ONCE. Why once do you ask? Because my one and only experience was awful. A-W-F-U-L.
There was a fly in my foot bath. A FLY!!!!! And I had to ask the pedicure lady to take it out. I HAD TO ASK!!!!!!!! And, guess how she cleaned the (gulp, reusable) foot file? She cleaned it in my stinky smelly footbath water. YEP, she used the same water my sweaty feet had been soaking in, TO CLEAN THE FILE! I cringe when I ponder how the nail instruments were cleaned and disinfected, ‘cause I’m pretty certain they weren’t sterilized. Like most nail salons, the instruments may have only been rinsed off in the sink, or dipped in a “barbicide-like” substance, and reused again on another unsuspecting victim. Ladies, this salon I went to is right here in COBOURG!!! And, it is a reputable salon.
Here is the problem. Nail salons are not regulated. There is nobody to enforce how instruments should be cleaned, how footbaths should be cleaned. Most salons don’t sterilize their instruments. Most salons don’t properly disinfect their footbaths. Most salons use the same file on everyone. Most salons use the same nail polish on everyone.
Did you know that sharing nail polish can lead to the spread of fungal nail infections? It’s true! When someone with nail fungus has their nails painted (and trust me, a lot of salons do not discriminate against nail fungus… they just ignore it and pamper the nail anyway), the fungus transfers from the toe, to the brush, and eventually into the paint. It waits there, like a thief, waiting for the next unsuspecting victim to paint their nails, and then BAM! A second person comes into contact with the fungus.
Admittedly, toenail fungus is not a life-or-death issue for most people. But it is gross. And it is contagious. Who wants flakey, crusty, thick and discoloured toenails that resemble something that came from the crypt? Especially when they are visible in sandals!!!
If you are going to have a foot pampering session, please do the following:
Ask how they STERILIZE (Not clean. Not disinfect. STERILIZE.) their instruments. Are they placed in an autoclave (a machine which gets really hot and sterilizes under pressure – always seen in your dentist and chiropodist’s office)? I certainly hope so.
If they don’t sterilize, do they use disposable tools? Make sure you see the pedicurist remove the packaging from the tools.
Is the salon clean and tidy? Or are toenails and toe jam lurking on the floors? This should be your first observation.
Can you bring/buy your own nail polish?
To be even safer, can you bring your own tools?
Make sure they use a disposable liner if they soak your feet in a footbath.
NEVER let your bare feet be dipped into the wax bath. Your feet should be covered with some sort of plastic wrap.
Don’t let them cut your cuticles. They are there for a reason - they stop the entrance of harmful bacteria.
If you are doubting any of the above…..RUN AWAY!!!
By the way…Chiropodists/Podiatrists are the only regulated foot health specialists in Ontario. We have standards set in place to ensure that we keep our instruments sterilized. At Northumberland Physiotherapy and Foot Health Centres, we take the standards one step further. We test our autoclaves regularly to ensure that they are functioning properly. Just ask to see our proudly displayed test results. You will never see a failed test.
Visit us at
http://www.we-fix-u.com/
