Short of going barefoot, nothing conjures the free spirit of summer like sandals. But given the way we treat our feet—whether we are running marathons or home from work and in shoes that pinch, press, and blister—it’s no wonder they need “Grooming Before Flaunting“.
Fact: Your feet require some TLC and most importantly prevention from infection.
More facts: Salon pedicures can be rife with risks. In fact, some foot baths might as well be renamed cesspools, hotbeds of germs that can lead to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Not to sound biblical, but customers have gone home with boils. Unsanitary tools aren’t much better, and can spread infections such as hepatitis. That is why we recommend these affordable pedicure chairs. And we also have some Great advice. Please read below:
- Shun the razor. Never, ever let a nail technician put a razor to your feet and be wary of doing so yourself. The practice can lead to permanent damage along with risk of infection through cuts and the possible transference of blood between customers. Callouses provide cushioning between you and the ground, and removing too much of the toughened skin can make it hurt to walk. A much gentler option is to soften your feet with a pumice stone, foot file, or exfoliating scrub, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association.
- Don’t cut corners. Go for a shape that’s square, not oval. Round toenails are more likely to dig into skin, causing painful ingrown toenails.
- Beware of the foot bath. “Do not use the foot spa if you are not sure it is safe to use, and if it has not been disinfected,” warn the Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a fact sheet on preventing infections from salon foot spas. To reduce the risk of infection from bacteria that can grow in foot spas, salons should use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant between each customer, and nightly, and according to the directions, which usually call for 10 minutes of disinfection, according to the government groups.
For your part, hold off on the foot bath if you have any cuts, scrapes, scabs, bruises, or open sores on your legs or feet as broken skin eases the passage of germs into your body. The EPA and CDC also include bug bites on this list, which seems to ensure no one could ever possibly be fit for a pedicure, given the coinciding seasons of pedicures and bugs. Also, skip the pre-pedicure shave to avoid causing any nicks. The APMA suggests scheduling your spa pedicure early in the morning, since “salon foot baths are typically cleanest earlier in the day.” Brenner advises patronizing nail salons that use disposable plastic bins inside the foot bath to lower your risk of infection.
- Don’t feed your feet to the fish. The trend of using so-called “doctor fish” to eat up dead skin on people’s feet is one you might want to skip—if your state hasn’t already banned the practice. A letter published this month inEmerging Infectious Diseasesfound that these fish, imported from Asia to salons in the United Kingdom, carried a range of potentially dangerous bacteria.
- Keep away from the cuticle. “The cuticle is the nail’s protective barrier and should not be pushed back, which can damage it and increase the risk of infection,” according to the American Academy of Dermatology, which warns that buffing nails too intensely can harm your cuticles as well.
- Use your own tools: Because germs can spread through tools that aren’t properly cleaned, it’s best to bring your own. That includes emery boards, which can’t be sterilized due to their porous nature. Pedicure tools can be found for a variety of prices in most beauty supply stores. We also recommend these lower cost pedicure tools. Some salons even sell individual kits they then keep on hand for regular customers.
- Skip the salon and see a podiatrist. A doctor’s office doesn’t exude the pampered feel of a salon. But that may be changing. Podiatrists are increasingly offering medical pedicures, which include paraffin wax for dunking and softening feet along with chemical-free, anti-fungal nail polish, Brenner says. These treatments come with a cost—anywhere from $80 to $150, says Brenner, who notes an alternative could be a simple callous removal. Inspired by the results of her own facial peels, Brenner has begun offering her patients chemical foot peels, which shed the top layer of skin to reveal smooth feet.
In Conclusion, We know how important it is for women to have a clean, appealing pedicure; however, be wary and don’t forget to examine the nail salon tools to prevent any infections. Your last resource should be to go to a podiatrist if you can afford it.