Over the summer, I had TWO infections as a result of having a pedicure. Did I stop? No.
I changed salons to a place where the chairs overlook the “sanitizing stations,” each with a UV sterilizer. The sterilizers were full of instruments carefully enclosed in sealed pouches. Since UV light is an effective antimicrobial (it kills germs), the technicians and clients feel confident that they are safe from infection. But are they?
Actually, no. This is because UV light only sterilizes what it touches. The underside of the instruments? Still contaminated. The top side of the instruments enclosed in a pouch? Those, too, block UV rays. The instruments at the bottom of the pile of pouches? All the germs are alive and well. Probably growing in the warm, damp atmosphere!
About those pouches. They look sterile because medical instruments are sterilized in them. But medical instruments are sterilized with hot steam in an autoclave. Not in a UV box. Why? Because it doesn’t work!
In conclusion, nail salons do NOT use sterilized instruments. The technicians doubtless don’t know that, but now you do. Happy pedicuring!