There’s nothing like having a girl’s day out with your daughter!  And with proms  and summer in the air, what better way to spend some quality time relaxing at a salon and getting a manicure or pedicure? It can be a great way to spend time together, catch up, and get pampered all at the same time.

Not to be a downer, but remember there are potential risks in everything that we do, including something as simple as manis and pedis. The key is to know what to look out for and be aware of. For example, when getting a mani or pedi you want to make sure that the equipment is not being reused between clients without proper cleaning and disinfecting.  Along with making sure equipment that is meant to be for single-use and is disposable is not being reused.  Exposure to these risks can lead to bacterial and fungal infections to blood-borne infections like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

A few things to look for at a salon:

• Are you being provided with a fresh file, buffer, toe separator, pumice stone for your procedure?  Is it being thrown in the trash after? These items cannot be adequately cleaned and disinfected between clients.
• Is the reusable equipment clean and in good condition?  Is it taken to a sink for washing and disinfecting after?  Some salons have their washing & disinfecting station in view.  You should see soap and a brush for cleaning and one or more containers with a disinfectant solution that the instruments are immersed in.
• Are they cleaning and disinfecting the pedicure basin between each client?  Some pedicure chairs are equipped with jets or fans that can trap hair, skin, etc. If not cleaned and disinfected between each client, bacteria can cause infections and can also grow and multiply inside the parts.

Check out a spa’s inspection report. If you are thinking of getting a manicure and pedicure at a particular salon in Halton, you can call the Halton Region Health Department and ask for the results of their last Public Health inspection.  Salons offering manicures and pedicures are inspected once per year to ensure compliance with the Infection Prevention and Control Best Practices for Personal Service Settings.

So, just keep this information in mind and share it with your daugther, for the times she goes without you, because there is a little bit more to think about than just the colour of your nail polish!

Share your experience:

For more tips and hints about manicures, pedicures and other personal services, there are many ways you can talk to one of us directly:

• Leave us a comment below – we’d love your feedback
• Talk to us on Twitter: @haltonparents
• Email us at haltonparents@halton.ca
• Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 for parenting information or to speak directly to a Public Health Nurse every Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

About this guest blogger:

Jennifer LeBlanc is a Public Health Inspector and has been with Halton Region since 2002, and is currently a member of the Enteric and Vectorborne Diseases Team.  Jennifer spends her free time with her husband and their children, ages 2 & 4.  They love to do gymnastics together and play at the playground.  Pilates and Zumba are her other favourite pastimes and one day she hopes to have time for a pedicure!