Sterile Pedicure

Why are thousands being infected through contaminated cross shared manicure and pedicure instruments?
Autoclaved, disposable or personal tools are Wstill not a must for these procedures.

With so many lawsuits connected to deaths, chronic infections and disfigure- ment from pedicures, you would think the public would be clamor- ing for reform. Just the opposite, most consumers completely blow off the risks and have the “it won’t hap- pen to me” attitude.

Approximately $6 Billion dollars are spent on spa related nail care every year, making it a huge indus- try. Unfortunately, along with that pretty pedicure you can take home: hepatitis B and C, cutaneous herpes, warts, bacterial and fungal infec- tions, and even HIV. These can be deadly, especially in the diabetic or immune-compromised patients.

So . . . before you kick off your shoes, consider the potential downsides of pedicures.

People with diabetes are at risk for a number of complications. Foot infections are common. If they develop a break in the skin, it can be a life-threatening complication.

I would caution individuals with diabetes not to receive a pedicure because of the sanitary conditions of the salon, the skills of the individual performing the pedicure, and the cleanliness of the instruments used.

A 43-year-old San Jose, California woman’s husband remembers the small cut on her toe that led to her death from a skin infection in 2004. A 46-year-old Ft. Worth, Texas mother left the pedicure salon with a small abrasion on her heel and died of staph related illness in Feb 2006. Her family is still embroiled in a wrongful death lawsuit.

“Death by Pedicure” is the first inside book on the “dirty secrets of nail salons.” Dr. Robert Spalding, Jr., TN podiatrist, has spent 10 years lecturing on the problems in the nail salon industry. This book goes into detail concerning foot and nail infections that have been mentioned by every major news wire and TV station in the U.S.

You may never be 100% safe from infection when receiving a pedicure, but there are many simple precautions consumers can take to protect themselves.

1. What does the salon look like? If it’s not clean and shiny like a doctor’s office, don’t stay!
2. Check the photo on the license of the nail technician. Make sure they match.
3. Ask about sanitation procedures. Instruments should be autoclaved in a steam sterilizer just like surgical instruments. When in doubt, bring your own! In our office we can offer you individual medical grade instrument sets available to purchase and clean yourself.
4. Is the spa chair pipe-less and cleaned after each pedicure?
5. Never let the technician use a sharp blade to trim a callus or cuticle. This puts you more at risk. If your calluses or heel fissures are that thick, please visit your podiatrist PRIOR to the nail salon. Tools that use razor blades may ONLY be used by a doctor.

Nail salons are definitely improving their sanitation and trying to make you safer, but you must be a savvy consumer. Demand a safe pedicure or you and your family may be sorry!

Let me introduce a waterless paraffin pedicure that is available in our professional podiatry office. It was designed for those individuals who suffer from diseases such as dia- betes, arthritis, high-risk pregnancy patients, chemotherapy patients and other medical disorders that may otherwise prohibit the use of these services. It was also intended for those who have had bad pedi- cures and for those who describe themselves as “germaphobes.”” You may already be familiar with paraf- fin wax treatments at spas and nail salons -- it’s a luxurious addition to a manicure or pedicure. This helps to moisturize the foot and has the same effect as soaking a foot in a tub of water. However, this approach is environmentally better since you do not waste water and it is more sanitary. But you may be surprised at what else paraffin wax is used to treat.

Paraffin wax is a common option in heat therapy treatments for people with arthritis or other rheumatic diseases -- the heat helps increase blood flow and relax the muscles, which can help relieve pain caused by arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. Paraffin wax can even soften hardened skin caused by scleroderma, a disease in which col- lagen accumulates on the body -- it increases the skin’s elasticity, allowing for increased move- ment and mobility. Enhance your pedicure with the moisturiz- ing properties of paraffin. The paraffin and heat softens and improves skin all over the feet, especially in tough, calloused areas.

But the benefits of paraffin wax don’t stop there. Because paraf- fin wax treatments are a form of heat therapy, they’re often used for muscle, tendon and ligament ailments. As with conditions like arthritis, they increase blood flow, improve joint stiffness and reduce pain. They’re also used to treat bur- sitis, tendonitis, sprains and pulled muscles.

It’s about going green and being safe. A waterless pedicure is just how it sounds. Foot baths have been replaced by sanitized steamed tow- els. By wrapping your feet in these towels, your chances of catching a fungus or bacteria from the foot bath vanish. As an added bonus, you are helping the environment by preserving water without lifting a finger.

Our office is different in many ways. We autoclave our instruments just as they do in a hospital; this sterilizes, not sanitizes, our equip- ment. Everything else is disposable, making sure there is no chance for cross contamination. All files are thrown away or given to the client to take home with them, ensuring that nothing is ever used on anyone else.

In case you already have had a bad experience with

the dirty salons and suffer from toe nail fungus, we are offering the laser treatment by the best device available, “Rolls Royce” of all laser machines – Sciton Clear Sense laser – the newest laser technology on market that gives patient the advanced care they desire.

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