A Pedi- Cure.

Beware A Dirty Tub....

As I prepare for this upcoming wedding, I'm giving myself a pedicure tonight, and I thought I would share some of my insider knowledge about NYS regulations for pedicure sanitation. I hope it helps to protect you from infection and disease, because (sadly) they're horrifyingly more rampant that you think.

When picking a salon, know that price may be directly proportional to quality of painting, but not always to sanitation. Some extremely high end salons are the culprits behind transmitting pernicious fungal or bacterial infections, and irritatingly just because you are going to an expensive salon doesn't mean you're going to a responsible salon. So what the fish, right? Well NYS law requires that all implements either be 1. fully sanitized, that is washed with soap and water, then 2. Immersed in barbisol or other full spectrum disinfectant for at least ten minutes, then 3. Rinsed before use on another person. OR 1. Completely disposable and 2. A new fresh implement be used for each client. It also requires that all pedicure tubs be thoroughly disinfected between uses. That means wiping down with spray disinfectant, refilling the tub with water, and more disinfectant, then running the jets for a few minutes between each guest. It may sound like a lot of work but can actually be accomplished whilst the polishing portion of the pedicure is taking place. If you are able to observe the pedi area before committing (while getting your hair cut, or something simple like a paraffin dip) to a nail appointment, see if they do this. If they just use a rag, or rinse out the tub, DON'T go there. Salons are also required to run each tub through with hospital grade disinfectant or bleach at the end of the day for 10 to 20 min. This is so the jets can cycle through with cleaner, as they're the hardest to get at, AND (this is a biggy) every salon must give their nail artists the right to deny service to individuals with nails that look, well, suspicious. Sorry if that seems harsh, but it's ethics 101. Deny 1 person service so that many others can have safe feet. So it's a good sign if your nail tech wants to look at your feet before service commences, or you're allowed to put your feet in the tub. Don't be offended, be relieved, it means they're paying attention and being alert. 

So why don't more places follow these regulations? Easy, one word, turnover. The word that, in my personal opinion, is responsible for every poor salon experience ever. Get 'em in get 'em out, get more customers in a day, get more $$$. This is why I say pricier salons are not always cleaner. They want money, clearly, and they can rush things in order to get it. They see the cleaning process as time and money wasted, and cut down the allotted window a technician is given to complete a pedicure. This rushes the nail tech and good cleaning becomes impossible. 

Where can you go to ensure proper nail etiquette? Remember than inversely proportional thing I was talking about? Sometimes the least expensive places are the cleanest, --and no I'm not referring to that place down the street that smells like acetone and formaldehyde. I mean going to a school, or doing it yourself, can be the safest option. Schools are training students to be able to pass NYS licensing exams, and there's both written and practical elements involved. A huge part of that practical examination is sanitation. 

I say this as someone with her cos license, if your technique is the best they've ever seen, but you are dirty, you will fail. Conversely if your technique isn't great yet, but you are very clean, you will pass. Point being, schools are teaching to this, so if you want to get that tub experience, sometimes a school is the best bet. Students have to fully complete sanitation for each guest, or their GPA goes down the shampoo bowl and they can't graduate and take their exams. Yes they get graded, it's more serious than people think, especially if it's a school one can book an appt at. The other choice, do it at home. Get a nice hot bath or foot tub and soak away. Exfoliate, scrub, buff, and trim til your heart's content, or trade off with a loved one for the leg massage. Still need it to look like a pro painted your nails? Keep in mind many salons offer something call a polish change. This is like a pedicure without the pedicure. They just take off the old laquer and put on some new. This means if you want to take care of the part that would be in the tub, they can apply the color for you and it will look all even and pretty. 

So remember look to see if your tech is examining your feet before the procedure, and scope out if they run the tub a second time with cleaning solution during your polishing portion. If it seems like this isn't happening, don't risk it. It's WAY more of a hassle to pay to see a podiatrist, and be put on strong meds, and lose your nails, and then have to wait for them to grow back, than it is to give yourself a home pedi. 

BKBTY