Manicure mishaps pose threats at nail salons

By Jackie Salo The third Commack nail sa-

lon, also located on Larkfield Road,
Assistant News Editor
With nail salon regulations
not being strictly enforced, some
ignored certain regulations deter-
mined by New York State as well.
Proper
j women may go into nail salons
leaving with infections of possi-
Several customers came in and out,
the foot baths being cleaned. Foot
baths are supposed to be cleaned
Procedures
bly life-threatening diseases.
Nail salons are bustling between each client. Manicure
businesses. It is essential that These unsanitary practices may bowls must be
there are sanitary conditions.
Often times, this is not the
be able to persist because there
are too few inspections carried out. washed between
case, and these conditions Without regular inspections, many customers
make clients more suscepti- nail salons are able to get away with
being lazy by not following the prac-
ble to contract various dis-
eases. tices expected of them. New emery board
According to a local dermatol- "There is just not enough people
coming in to check [that rules and r
ogist, if you get a break in the surface of the
skin whether on the hands or feet, and there are un- regulations are being carried out]," oot baths must
sanitary conditions at the nail salon, there would be potential for said Madison Nail Technician Linda disinfected
infectious agents such as bacteria, fungus or virus. If there are these infectious Haddad. "I've been in the business
for 30 years and I have never seen a
Detween
agents and there is a break in the surface of your skin, they could get in through.
There are many ways that infectious agents could get through the surface of your state inspector come in and check, customers
skin if you have a cut. For example, when you get a pedicure and they give you and they are the people designated
to do these things. Also, the gen-
a foot bath, if that water was contaminated with bacteria or if the same thing is
true with the instruments, you can get an infection. eral public themselves have to ask Hospital grade
To prevent the spread of disease, there are a few precautions that should be questions and use common sense to disinfectant
taken. According to the New York State Division of Licensing Services of Appear- make sure things are clean. So it is
a combination of, number one, not
must be used to
ance Enhancement, utensils should be sanitized in between customers, using
a hospital grade disinfectant such as an autoclave. Finger bowls and foot baths enough state inspections, and two, sanitize
should be washed after each client. the general public not questioning
"Nails are a part of your body and if people want to care for them, nail salons whether the supplies are clean."
should be just as sanitary as when you go to the doctor's office," said sophomore Customers are entitled to sani-
Rachel Siegal. tary or proper treatment that does not put their health at risk. Inspections would
After visiting three Commack nail salons, it was determined that not one of help enforce these guidelines so that those who do go to nail salons, do not con-
the three seemingly followed state regulations while there. tract any diseases or infections.
At one Commack nail salon located on Larkfield Road, it had been obvious "They should inspect nail salons more often because you can get infections ii
that the emery board, which is used for filing nails, had been used at least once, the place doesn't keep stuff clean. I know family members who have gotten infec-
if not several times before. After using it, they then placed it back in the drawer tions from nail salons," said sophomore Brooke Halloran.
to be used again. This disregards the health code in which states that the reuse Customers can protect themselves by being aware of what to look out for in
of emery boards is prohibited. They then used the same foot file on one customer nail salons. By failing to see whether or not the practices of their nail salon go
and then on the customer sitting next to them immediately after the first pedi- against those mandated by the state, they are putting themselves at risk.
cure. In addition to this the nail salon kept the cotton balls in a dusty drawer "If I'd known more about the regulations I wouldVe reconsidered going to nail
instead of a closed container or sealed bag as mandated by New York State. salons," said senior Marissa Levy.
Another Commack nail salon located on Commack Road also did not follow In order to reduce the chance of infection people have the option of purchas-
state guidelines. They, too, reused emery boards. While they used & sterilizer, ing your own supplies, such as the "Mini Professional Manicure Set," available al
they would only leave the supplies in it until needed for the next customer, re- Target for $12.99. People may bring this purchased set with them to the nail
gardless if it had been in long enough. Supplies need to be left in these disinfec- salon and request that the nail technician use the new supplies. ©
tants for a minimum of ten minutes in order to be sterilized.