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Manicure Safety: How to Keep Those Fingernails Healthy

Having professional manicures is something that many women have done on a frequent basis. While having someone else do your manicure may seem like the best option, this is not always the case. Manicures can lead to nail fungus or infections if the proper sanitation procedures are not taken. The easy, low cost alternative to professional manicures is to perform your own.

You might be surprised at what you can pick up from a manicure or pedicure. Nail fungus and bacterial infections can occur and, on very rare occasions, manicures can expose you to deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Of course, the chances of you contracting HIV from a manicure is extremely low but why even let that slight chance exist if you can prevent the chance of you getting it?

One of the most important things you can do is check out the shop before patronizing it. Getting a referral from a friend is one of the best ways to find a good manicurist. However, that is only true if your friend knows what to look for in a good manicurist. Ask your friend about the sanitation of the manicurist. Are there disinfectants in the area of the work station? Is the shop clean overall? Are the other manicurists seen cleaning their equipment after clients? These are all little things that can be overlooked. If your friend does not have answers for these questions, tell them to smarten up and start to pay attention.

If you are not sure of the manicurist that you are going to, buy and take your won manicure and pedicure kit with your. Simply inform the manicurist that, no offense, but you would prefer to have your own personal kit used. This is a sure way of knowing were the equipment has been. Your concern about sanitation and safety may also prompt your manicurist to be even more cautious when working on your hands or feet.

The idea of performing your own manicures and pedicures may not seem that appealing at first thought. However, you can turn manicures and pedicures into “me time”. Of course there is a sense of pampering that comes from having someone else do these self-care things for women. Think about how wonderful it could be to spend a day relaxing and pampering yourself without the intrusion of someone else? Imagine a spa day that you plan out for yourself--a day where you give yourself facials and exfoliating and giving yourself a manicure and pedicure. Spend time soothing those workweek blues out of your body.

Of course, some of us are not skilled enough to perform our own manicures. If that is the case, there are steps you can take to insure that you are getting the best manicure care possible. The first thing you want to do is observe. By watching the way that the manicurist works on others, you will be able to gauge a few important factors. Cleanliness is one of those factors. If the manicurist is not changing emery boards between clients or cleaning the pedicure tub, you might want to move on.

If you view unsanitary procedures at the salon where you get your nails done, speak up. The manager or shop owner should be aware of the bad rep their manicurist is giving them. If unsanitary conditions at a salon cause you to get some type of nail infections you should make a call to the state cosmetology board. Once that particular shop is flagged as an unsanitary place, action will be taken. The cosmetology board will want to head off any more complaints.