Pedicures Should Pamper AND Protect Your Piggies

Pedicures Should Pamper AND Protect Your Piggies

by Heidi Bell Gease

Warmer spring weather has many of us breaking out the flip flops and planning for pedicures. But before you book an appointment to beautify your toes, there are some things you should know.

For starters, pedicures should only be performed by licensed professionals (cosmetologists or nail technicians) in a licensed salon, according to the South Dakota Cosmetology Commission. Licensed professionals must complete education hours, pass exams and pay an annual licensing fee.

And getting a pedicure from a person who hasn’t been trained to use proper techniques and clean tools can leave you with more than a tacky paint job. It can also result in infections and foot fungus.

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“Services should not hurt, injure or put you at risk of infection,” said Kate Boyd, the Commission’s executive director. “If you are not comfortable with what you see in a salon, the best thing to do is leave.”

State cosmetology law sets health and safety standards to keep customers safe. The Commission enforces those standards. Georgia Linn of Black Hawk, a cosmetologist and state inspector, visits every salon, booth and school in western South Dakota at least once a year on behalf of the Commission. Visits are unannounced, but salon professionals know the safety and sanitation standards on which they will be assessed.

“Disinfection is probably the most important thing when you’re trying to eliminate contamination,” Linn said, noting that salons must use hospital-grade disinfectants. “If you’re not cleaning your files or your pedicure tubs or your implements, there’s just that chance of spreading germs.”

Linn says there are things you can look for to protectyourself. One biggie: nail tools should never be reusedunless they have been disinfected.

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“Watch where they take their tools from. Do they come from a clean separate container? Are they individually wrapped? Or did they come out of a drawer?” Linn said. And if there’s nail dust on a file, it’s not clean. “You should just stop right there. Or ask them to open a new file.”

Your nail technician should not use a multi-sided buffer block unless it’s brand new, as those can’t be disinfected. Another red flag: callous removers that resemble cheese graters, which can easily go too deep and damage skin.

Don’t be afraid to speak up if something doesn’t seem right.“It’s okay to stop the service if you don’t feel comfortable,”Linn said.

Better yet, do some homework first. Ask for referrals.

Observe the salon before you book. Ask to see licenses, which must be posted. And remember: just because a salon is busy doesn’t mean it’s in compliance. You can look on the Commission’s website at https://dlr.sd.gov/ cosmetology/ to verify licenses and see which salons have failed inspections. Many failures are for license violations but others are for sanitation reasons (dirty foot baths, toenail clippings in drawers with tools, etc.).

A facility that passes inspection receives a Certificate of Passed Annual Inspection card, which should be posted in the establishment. A facility that fails inspection is allowed a short time to correct the violations before being re-inspected. If sanitation problems are not resolved, the Commission tries to work with salon owners to educate them and their employees

on proper disinfection techniques so they can safely serve the public. In cases when salons or individuals refuse to comply with guidelines, the Commission can take disciplinary action by suspending or revoking a license.

And while there are always some salons that don’t pass inspection, there are far more that do. Linn said people shouldn’t worry about getting a pedicure from a reputable professional. “Just educate yourself,” she said, and pay attention.

The Commission recommends the following for anyone planning a pedicure:

Do Not:

• Shave legs 24 hours before pedicures. This can make you more susceptible to infection.

• Allow cutting of calluses and ingrown toenails.

• Allow a nail technician to use implements that have been used on previous clients. •

Allow a nail technician to perform waxing services.

Do:

• Observe salon cleanliness and sanitation practices.

• Inform the technician if you have health concerns or medications, such as diabetes or a compromised immune system.

• Be aware of guidelines and ask questions.

For more information, visit the cosmetology website or call the Commission at 605-773-6193. Now that you’re in the know, bring on sandal season! BHW

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