Total Beauty's Jill Schuck recently spoke with Ji Baek, owner of Rescue Beauty in New York City, who shared with readers how to get a safe, clean mani/pedi. Read on to find out when to relax and when to run.
  • Avoid spa chairs with jet baths. Salons are supposed to change the filters that recycle water after every use, but that rarely happens. The result? Used water gets circulated through the system. Look for porcelain or stainless steel basins without a spa chair, or ask the salon to change the filter in front of you before you soak.

  • Bring your own tools (file, buffer, toe separator) to be 100 percent safe. Or, make sure disposable items come fresh out of a sealed package every time. If the salon uses blue Barbicide cleaning solution, it should be clear, not cloudy.

  • Wear a mask to avoid inhaling harmful chemicals if you get acrylics. (The technician should be wearing one, too.) According to Will Forest, a toxicologist at the California Department of Health Services, it is unlikely that you'd be exposed to enough of any hazardous materials to create any significant hazard to your pregnancy. For more information, talk to your doctor about the safety of acrylic nails while you're pregnant.

  • Tools sterilized in a UV light sanitizer must be laid flat and exposed to the light for 25 minutes. Check to see if the machine has a timer or is being monitored.

  • Look for salons that use an autoclave, which is a pressurized sterilizing system (like the ones you see in the dentist’s office).

  • Trust your instincts. If anything seems off, speak up or walk out the door. 
Source

Technorati Tags: | | | | | | | | |