How to Choose A Top Notch Nail Salon

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By jrosengarten
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Article Rating: (4 Ratings)

Have beautiful nails and be safe

Finding a quality nail salon isn't always as easy as you think. The most beautiful salon is not always the best as far as safety and hygiene are concerned.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Time
Phone

Step 1

Make sure the manicurists station is spotless when you sit down

The first step in finding a nail salon is obvious. Ask your friends for recommendations. But, your job does not end there. Now you need to call the various salons and ask key questions. The first and foremost would be is "is the salon and everyone in it licensed?" Believe it or not, not all states require licensing. They all have it but don't always enforce it.
Step 2

Dirty is not acceptable

Your second question should be "what do you use to sterilize your equipment?" just plain alcohol does not cover everything. Heat sterilization is best, but fairly costly so most salons do not use this. Most will use a tuberculocidal disinfectant which is turquoise colored and sits at the individual stations. If in doubt ask to see the bottle the disinfectant comes in.
Step 3

Never, and I mean never let anyone cut your cuticles. Their sole reason for being is to protect your nail bed from infection. A tiny cut can risk serious infection. Manicures and pedicures should never hurt if done properly. Don't allow credo blades, razors, callus graters and cuticle cutters to be used during a visit. Again, these can cut skin allowing bacteria to enter. Make sure that a new file or orange stick is used as these cannot be sanitized. They are to porous. Some salons will allow you to purchase your own tools. This is a great idea and you can be sure they are clean for each visit by cleaning them with hydrogen peroxide. If there is dust, debris or clippings on the floor or caught in corners, that's a warning sign that cleanliness is not of upmost importance, run, don't walk right out of the salon.
Step 4

Pedicures..........ah so relaxing. But, beware the whirlpool foot tub. It can harbor all kinds of bacteria so make absolutely sure that they are cleaned properly. So what should you watch for? Footbaths should be washed with hot, soapy water and sprayed with a disinfectant after each use. You can even bring your own tubliner if you are really concerned.

Comments

shenandoah said

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on 5/28/2009 Very helpful tips. I like the call-ahead idea and the questions. The issue for me is whether the folks who answer the phone speak english well enough to understand what you are asking. In my part of the country, this is not the case.