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Fungus Prevention: Hands
& Feet
by Sereeda McKoy
Two major
up keeps for women are
getting manicures and pedicures; did you know that over
35 million people suffer from some sort of nail fungus
each year and that most fungal nail infections occur at
salons? Doesn’t
surprise me at all. Why? I happened to get one last year.
Both of my big toenails were infected, although, the infection
wasn’t severe…having to wear sandals for majority of the
summer without my main toenails wasn’t fun!! My toenail
fungus was mainly located on the tips of my toenails, it
didn’t travel all the way down the nail bed, but it was
enough to have both of my toenails partially removed. I
was SO upset, my feet are BEAUTIFUL!!
So me walking around with 8.5 of my toenails during one
of my favorite shoe seasons was tragic!! So ladies, what
measures can you take to prevent it from happening to you?
It’s fairly simple and it involves you being inquisitive
and proactive. You are paying for a service, therefore,
asking your nail technician a few questions isn’t absurd.
Tips To Keep The Fungus Away
- Request that new manicure instruments
are used or bring YOUR own.
- Avoid having your cuticles nipped
or clipped (This gives bacteria an entryway in). Instead
ask to have them pushed back or opt for a cuticle dissolving
solution, I recommend: Cuticle
Remover by deborah lippmann.
- Observe how the pedicure chairs
and tubs are treated between clients. These should be
scrubbed down with a disinfectant between clients…EVERY
TIME!!
- Don’t shave your legs prior to
receiving a pedicure. Small nicks or cuts may be present,
this is an infection’s dream!!
- Ensure that your manicurist is
licensed. This has to be displayed in their work station
and it has to be current.
That was easy enough, right?
Suppose you forgot your manicure instruments that day.
FYI: All instruments should be sterilized
with ultraviolet light or a cold sterilization process
or cleaned with a cleansing alcohol that has a 70% isopropyl
alcohol base (spray disinfectants are for surfaces only,
not adequate for disinfecting tools or pedicure equipment).
You can find out if the instruments being used have undergone
this by asking and observing.
I also learned that the drains in pedicure tubs have to
be thoroughly cleaned. Why? The water that contains, deadskin
and whatever else that was floating in that tub travels
through it. If it isn’t cleaned, all of that is being released
back into the water when the tub is filled again. You may
not see it, but if it hasn’t been cleaned properly…it’s
in there. GROSS!!
So you did all of that and you still contracted a nail
fungus. Big disappointment!! Go to your physician, I strongly
recommend a podiatrist. Yes, your primary care physician
is fine…but I’ve heard horror stories about them and their
nail fungus treatments!! Here’s
a few more tips that I learned during my fungus fiasco:
- Wear the right socks. (Wear
socks that wick away moisture, if you have sweaty feet,
change your socks frequently and let your feet breathe!)
- Don’t cover the fungus with polish
or artificial nails. (You may want to hide that unslightly
fungus, but doing that traps unwanted moisture and can
make the infection worse.)
- Research your spa/salon! This
information is readily available and usually easy to find.
Just in case you were wondering
how I knew all of this information…I worked at a spa before
and happened to be there when it was inspection time. I
asked a lot of questions!! # # #
About Sereeda McKoy:
 Sereeda
McKoy is the founder and editor for
eclechick: your source for uniquely fresh
style, fashion and fun. Visit the eclechick blog at http://eclechick.com.
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