Pedicure Dangers
As you probably know, I have been a nail tech for nearly 20 years (along with lots of other things on the side). I have never, ever been comfortable with pedicures - not performing them, mind you - but with the sanitation process. If you have anything at all but a non-moving bucket of water (very unappealing to the clients), there is no good way to clean them. The nicer and fancier pedicure units are, the harder they are to clean. We do the best we can with the products that are available, but if there is any plumbing at all in the pedicure tubs - any movement of water, any bubbles - it is a breeding ground for bacteria. I saw this article this weekend, and not only is it extremely relevant for those in my MRSA community, but it is very relevant for all of the rest of us beauty-loving people. You need to be aware of this danger:
From Dallas, WFAA.com:
Hall is among several women who confirmed to News 8 that after they got pedicures in whirlpool foot spas at Beverly Hills Nails, skin infections broke out on their legs.
Dallas County Health and Human Services confirmed there is a complaint against the salon.
Beverly Hills Nails manager Victoria Tran said state regulators came in and took water samples for tests that are not yet back. “But we’re not 100 percent sure that it’s from unsanitary of the whirlpool, or if it’s caused by something that they have done or happened before,” Tran said.
An aggressive bacteria can grow quickly in water if a whirlpool foot spa is not cleaned frequently.
The bug enters the skin through shaving cuts or abrasions. The infection leads to painful lesions that can last for months and leave scars.
Doctors call the drug resistant staph bacteria MRSA—methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.
Let me tell you, as a nail tech, it IS due to the pedicure units. And I am sure that they do everything they can to clean them properly, but it is just not possible, unless you run straight bleach through the pipes, and you know how fast that would clear out your salon (not to mention make everyone sick)? If you remember several years ago, there were similar breakouts in some salons in California. I always suspected it was MRSA, but it was never revealed what bacteria it was. This is an extremely dangerous bacteria that is virtually unknown in the United States, but is becoming more common every day. Just like the old Staph infections, MRSA breeds rampantly in dark moist areas, and can live on surfaces a very long time. Along with the salon, watch out for it at your gym as well. Many athletes get MRSA.
My advice is to not get pedicures in a salon. Truly. Learn to do your own pedicures, or, find a nail tech that will use, as I mentioned earlier, a plain ol’ bowl of water. No plumbing, no whirlpool, no bubbles no moving water. I don’t care how clean you think that salon is, or how clean they insist they are, those pipes are dirty, and the salons can’t help it. Take it from one who has been there from both sides. You do not want to get MRSA.
Technorati Tags: MRSA, staph, pedicures, infections, nail salons, salon dangers
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POSTED IN: About Me, Beauty Don'ts, Beauty News, Nail Care, Wellness
21 opinions for Pedicure Dangers
Nail Tech Secrets » Scary Salon Pedicures
Jan 22, 2006 at 10:02 pm
[…] As a nail tech, I can tell you that I am 99.99% sure it IS due to the pedicure units. You can read more about my thoughts at eBeautyDaily if you are interested. This is one huge reason that I have written all of these techniques down for you to learn. MRSA is not a bacteria to fool around with - take it from one who knows. My husband nearly died from MRSA a year ago, after a shave. Go read that article and look at the picture of what MRSA can do to you. It is too disgusting to show here. And that is if you are lucky. […]
Sharon
Jan 24, 2006 at 10:13 am
This news about nail salons and bacteria certainly makes me pause to think before going back! Nail care is very important and I appreciate the warning.
tanya
Jan 24, 2006 at 7:37 pm
This is great info. I don’t think I do it as well as the professionals, so I do it myself regularly and then got to the professionals every few months.
Christina Jones
Jan 24, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Sharon - I hope it will make you check around to find a nail tech that doesn’t use fancy plumbing. That is a good article on nail care, thanks for letting us know about it!
Christina Jones
Jan 25, 2006 at 9:16 am
Thanks Tanya…I know it is awfully nice to get pedicures, and it is really something that I miss. I did find a spa that did a 30 minute leg and foot massage though, and that was very nice, without the dangers. I hope you will read my pedicure info at Nail Tech Secrets, and maybe pick up on some tips that might help you out a bit more! Please feel free to email or comment if you have any questions, ok?
eBeautyDaily.com » Weekly Beauty Roundup
Feb 3, 2006 at 9:05 am
[…] I am still working on the Spa Pedicure section at Nail Tech Secrets this week, but am moving a bit slow, because my husband has been on vacation all week (and he is very time consuming, know what I mean?). Be sure to learn how to do these properly yourself, to avoid the ultra scary bacteria that are out there. I saw a woman getting a pedicure in the mall yesterday, and I wanted to go in there and tell her about the infection possibility, but I thought I had best keep my crazy side under wraps. Ha. But please be careful - there are lots of alternatives to dangerous beauty methods, sometimes you just have to get a little creative. But we can do that, right??? […]
T. Wright
Feb 7, 2006 at 4:43 pm
Hi,
I went to the same nail salon in the past 7 mon.
and I’ve been dealing with these sores on my leg
for 5 mon. Now I’m seeing a dermatologist about my skin, I mean this is rediculous. I never knew about this, I guess I found out the hard way. Is there anyway to be compensated for this?
Thanks
Dat’s Wright
Christina Jones
Feb 7, 2006 at 4:54 pm
I’m sorry to hear that - have you been diagnosed with MRSA? So far, to my knowledge, I haven’t seen anyone win an MRSA case yet, but most are brought against hospitals. You will have to contact an attorney if that is the path you wish to take. Good luck to you, and if you do have MRSA, please come join our group at http://www.mrsaresources.com, we have a great support community growing over there. Feel free to email me anytime if I can help!
Anonymus
Feb 22, 2006 at 12:33 pm
You must not be that experienced to actually suggest that you disinfect a tub with bleach. Experienced nail techs know that bleach only masks bacteria, you have to use a hospital grade EPA to completely sanitize anything in a nail salon per state law!
Christina Jones
Feb 22, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Anonymus (sic),
20 years and a husband who nearly died from this infection last year. I don’t know how much more experience you are looking for. I am not talking about sanitizing the tub itself, but it is the plumbing that is the problem. Unless you can remove the pipes and clean them thoroughly, no amount of disinfectant is going to get them bacteria-free. Have you seen the insides of your kitchen drain pipes? I hope you are aware of that and don’t open yourself up to problems by using a plumbed pedicure tub any more.
And, FYI, bleach kills just about every bacteria known. You just can’t use it in a salon because of the dangerous fumes.
I was awaiting the flack from these pedicure posts, I knew it would come. ;)
susanne carney
Feb 23, 2006 at 8:32 am
My son performed his own surgery for an ingrown toenail, it got infected, we got antibiotics, we thought it was well…….he spent 37 days in the hospital, 9 days on life support and got toxic shock due to mrsa in the bloodstream…….this stuff is deadly
Christina Jones
Feb 23, 2006 at 9:23 am
Yes it is Susanne, thanks for sharing your story. My husbands story is frightenly similar. Thank God they are ok now, they were lucky - many, many more aren’t. I just found an article this morning from a woman who passed away from it, thought to have been acquired from a pedi tub. Scary scary stuff.
Steph
May 4, 2006 at 8:46 pm
Hmm. Any suggestions for salons that do use normal tubs?
I live in NYC, if anyone knows of a good place there.
eBeautyDaily - The Beauty Blog - Welcome Women’s Wear Daily Readers!
May 9, 2006 at 7:15 am
[…] Welcome to all who have found me via WWD, and I hope you will make yourself at home. I talk about all things beautiful (and some not so beautiful) here at eBeautyDaily - you can find information you need, helpful tips that you want, and product reviews you can use. You can use the search feature at the right or look through the categories to find anything you might be interested in, and if you have a question or a request or idea, feel more than free to email me anytime at christina@b5media.com. Also, please subscribe via RSS through your favorite feed reader, or via the mailing list form on the right to get eBeautyDaily delivered to your inbox each day. […]
Anthony
May 20, 2006 at 6:41 am
ladys put bleach in your tubs and run thru jets after every client for 10 min. (fill with water and about half cup of bleach my wife is a nail tech and this is what they do.
Dors any one know what not wearing a mash can do to nail techs i’m trying to get my wife to wear one can someone help me out?
MRSA Notes » Another Warning for Salon Customers
May 30, 2006 at 4:05 am
[…] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your ownsite. […]
Beth
Jul 8, 2006 at 10:52 pm
I went today to get a pedicure and came home with a cut. At the salon I regularly go to, they use a Dremel-like tool to file down your heels.(After looking at this, I realize that’s a HUGE no-no!) And when she was filing my heel, she cut the side of my foot with the edge of the sandpaper. I didn’t really pay that much attention to it until I was putting lotion on my feet tonight and it stating burning like h*ll!! I washed it really well and slathered antibiotic ointment on it and then covered it. But, now I’m kinda freaked out after seeing this site and a few others! Please tell me what to do to keep from getting a bad infection!! PLEASE, any information or suggestions?!?!
Debra
Jul 31, 2007 at 4:45 pm
I would like to know if anyone can help me with how to perform a “waterless pedicure”? I heard about this from a local Spa, and would like to try this myself. It seems like a much cleaner way of performing and receiving a pedicure, but I would like to know if you get the same benefits from hot towels as you would a soak.
jenny
Aug 2, 2007 at 7:40 pm
I had a bacteria infection (casued from a pedicure) back in 2000. It took a year and over 40 doctors to determine what I had. This was horrible and very painful!!!!!! I will never have a pedicure or manicure ever AGAIN!!!! I have also spent thousands of dollars on surgury to cover my scars and you can still see them.
Please know that having cute toes can change your life drastically.
Liz
Sep 13, 2007 at 9:49 am
I watched the Tara banks shoe just flipping through the channels, and It was about beauty disasters. A 23 year old girl had the worst infection the spread to her leggs. It literally ate a hole in her leg!! I havn’t had a pedicure at a salon since! I get most of my supplies at Sally beauty supplies and do my own. Much cheaper, fun and no risk of infection!
Cindie
Feb 11, 2008 at 9:48 am
Glad that a nail technician is TELLING THE TRUTH about pedicures. I never did think it was a good idea, because I never observed the tubs being cleaned out between clients (YUCK!) I have my own foot tub at home that is only used by me, and I clean it out with bleach after each use! MRSA is a very dangerous bacteria….it killed my ex-father-in-law in 1998! Do your own pedicures at home, or take your own foot tub (and implements) to the salon with you.
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