Sterile Pedicures 08221 08234 New Jersey South Jersey

Last week on ABC’s 2020 there was a segment about the cleanliness at nail salons. The segment discussed how there is a high rate of infections at nail salons. I would like to discuss on this week’s blog about sterile pedicures and their advantage.

In the 2020 segment, ABC went undercover and inspected how certain salons sterilized and cleanse their equipment. Many salons do not disinfect their equipment properly. At our office we provide sterile pedicures. What this means is that all our equipment is sterilized in an autoclave. An autoclave is a machine that cleans medical equipment via steam and pressure. For example, in an Operating Room all surgical equipment is sterilized in this fashion. Using an autoclave significantly reducing the risk of infection since most of the bacteria and fungus is eradicated in the autoclave.

Another common thing to be weary of at a public nail salon is the cleanliness of the water baths. It is difficult to sterilize a water basin that is used for pedicures. The ideal situation would be for a liner in the water basin that can be replaced between each pedicure.

What is the risk in getting an unsterile pedicure?

There are two risks when getting an unsterile pedicure. The first is getting an infection. If the equipment is not clean there is a risk of getting an infection. The second risk is getting an ingrown toenail. Approximately 25% of patients that I see in the office with infected or non-infected ingrown toenails are from nail salons. These patients relate to me that at a salon the technician was trying to get a corner of a toenail out and in the process an ingrown toenail was created. At our office we have medical licensed nail technicians, who have a special certification by podiatrists, who perform our pedicures. They use sterile instruments, new paraffin wax for each patient and cut the toenails across. If the nail technicians are concerned about an ingrown toenail they do not trim the nails and have the patient see the podiatrist.

What is it so dangerous for diabetics to get unsterile pedicures?

Diabetics are immunocompromised, which means their immune system is weakened, and therefore they are at higher risk for infection. In addition to diabetics, patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease are at higher risk of not healing an infection. Patients with these diseases should be careful about getting an unsterile pedicure, if they were to get an infection they would be at high risk of a non-healing wound.  Therefore, it is highly recommended to get a pedicure at our office, where the pedicures are sterile and there is minimum risk for getting an infection.

Recently I filmed “Health Update’ with Robin Stoloff on NBC 40. I discussed the benefits of getting a sterile pedicure. Keep an eye out for the segment to air in the next few weeks.

For more information on sterile pedicures and to schedule one please call the office at 609-272-1450 or visit our website at www.footnj.com

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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