Manicures and Pedicures

August 2015

Les manucures et les pédicures

What Are Manicures and Pedicures?

A manicure is a beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands; a pedicure is a beauty treatment for the toenails and feet. Both involve using tools, creams, oils and wax to improve your cuticles and clean, shape and polish your nails.

What Are the Health Risks?

Since manicure and pedicure tools can become contaminated with bacteria, fungi and blood-borne viruses such as HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C, it is important that they are cleaned and disinfected using proper procedures prior to reuse, or depending on the tool, some tools should not be reused. You can also protect yourself from hepatitis B by being vaccinated. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C or HIV.

What Should I Look for Before Getting a Manicure or Pedicure?

Before you consider a manicure or pedicure, be sure that you don’t have a skin or nail infection. You could spread the infection to your nail technician or other clients. It is important to get a manicure or pedicure from a salon inspected by public health. Toronto Public Health inspects all known nail salons annually to make sure they are taking the right steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. You can contact Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 if you are uncertain that a salon is inspected or would like to know about the inspection history.

How Can the Risk of Infection Be Reduced?

Go to a salon that is inspected by your local public health unit. When a foot bath is used as part of a pedicure service, avoid shaving your legs to reduce your risk of getting an infection.

Your nail technician should undertake the following infection prevention steps as well:

• Wash his or her hands with soap and water or use a 70% alcohol hand sanitizer before starting the procedure.
• Use tools (e.g., scissors, clippers, and pedicure razor blade holders) that have been cleaned and disinfected with alcohol or bleach before starting your manicure or pedicure. UV light “sterilizers” or glass (hot) bead “sterilizers” are not acceptable methods of disinfection or sterilization.
• Discard any item that cannot be properly cleaned and disinfected between clients such as nail files or pumice stones.
• Use a new pedicure razor blade for every client and then discard into a special “sharps” container immediately after use.
• Use a foot bath that has been cleaned and disinfected, with a disinfectant such as bleach, before starting your procedure.
• Dispense all lotions and creams in a way that does not contaminate the remaining lotion or cream (no “double dipping”).