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Press Release:
Death by Pedicure or 'Dirty Little Secrets of Nail Salons' by Author Dr Robert Spalding

 

Nail salon syndrome is a very common yet overlooked problem.I had a patient(also a friend) who went for a pedicure.She got a piece of her nail torn out.After that,her toenail got loose and a partial nail avulsion was performedon her.Subsequently she developed onychomycosis,which she blamed on midfoot trauma.I have a hunch that the trauma to her nail secondary to the pedicure was the culprit.

 

Great cover for the book!!

 

Thanks you for the comments on the book. I invite you to go to nailsaloninfectionsurvey.com and complete the survey...
the user name is doctor
and the password is infection

 

Since we are patting ourselves on the back for not spreading fungal nail infections like beauty therapists I am curious about the following:

If a patient presents with some onychomycotic nails and some non path nails, how many pods would use 1 pair of nippers on the fungal nails and a separate pair on the non path nails? or cut the non path first and the fungal last with the same pair?

Or dont fungal infections spread that way? If they dont, perhaps we owe a part apology to the beauticians?

 

Hi Tully,

I think the article is more centred on spreading infection from one patient to another, as there is not a strict set of Infection Control Guidelines for beauticians.

One my previous clients (with onycomycosis :eek: ) before I moved from Brisbane was a beautician, and we talked "shop" about tinea infections, nail fungus etc. She said that while she did her best to prevent the spread of infection in her salon, there were no stringent Infection Control Guidelines in place for beauticians. She would refuse to touch the nails of clients with suspected infection, and would refer them to myself for assessment/treatment instead.

There is no "Beautician's Board" or Association that devises sets of procedures or guidelines. She advised me that where possible, disposable items were used, such as emery boards, and items such as clippers were cleaned/disinfected and reused. They soak the feet prior to treatment (which you know is not indicated in podiatry), and they don't swab the skin with alcohol or chlorhexidine twice before treatment to remove gross contamination on the feet. They use nail polish with a brush that they "double dip" and use on multiple patients! :rolleyes: Do I need to continue? :p

So without a set infection control protocol in place, it's no wonder that we hear these horror stories of foot infection so frequently. :eek:

Regards

Donna :)

 

Debridement in the First Degree

Should this be "Death TO Pedicure"? or "See Pedicure and Die"? - Regards, Martin

 

Georgia woman believes nail salon infection forced her big toe amputation