Pedicures: How to Prevent an Infection

The warm weather is coming, time to pull out those sandals and open toed shoes and think about getting your feet ready for summer. A pedicure sounds like a dandy way to pamper yourself but increased risk of foot infections should make you pause and think about how to protect yourself.

During a pedicure, small breaks in the skin can occur from cuticle tools or rough callous treatment and it is possible for bacteria or blood from non sterilized equipment to enter your body. Bacterial infections can spread, fungal infections such as athlete's foot can occur and even viral infections can be passed. MRSA, a drug resistant staph infection has been known to occur in simple foot infections.

Pedicures can be made more safe with special attention to some basic practices that you and the salon you visit practice. First, make sure the pedicure spa is a reputable one. They should follow basic sterilization practices of their equipment and practice good hand washing between customers. Notice if the bathrooms and other surfaces appear clean and well kept.

Things to ask and know

1. Ask about how the equipment is cleaned during the day and at night. Disinfection of pedicure equipment should be done with an EPA hospital disinfectant according to the CDC for at least 10 minutes between clients. Autoclaving is the preferred method for night time cleaning.

2. Do not shave, wax or use depilatory within 24 hrs of your pedicure appointment and do not have your feet soaked if there are any open cuts, scratches, mosquito bites etc on your feet.

3. Think about buying and bringing your own pedicure instruments with you. Items such as emery boards, buffers and toe separators cannot be adequately cleaned and may not be discarded after each client use so bringing your own will better protect you.

4. If in the next few days after your pedicure, you develop any bumps or areas that become swollen, red or itchy don't wait, make an appointment to see a podiatrist or your primary doctor to check the area for infection.

Lastly, people who have other medical conditions such as diabetes, neuropathy or circulation problems in their feet are less able to sense the pain from an infection until it has become more severe. These people need to more careful or consider skipping the salon pedicure altogether for something simpler, like just having their toe nails painted after a good soak at home.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/foot-health/pedicure-safety-tips.aspx

http://www.clevelandseniors.com/health/pedicure.htm

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/pedicure.htm