| a manicure or a pedicure is like playing Russian | | | | can give you a bad case of fungal nail infections |
| roulette. If you’re not careful, you could | | | | that are common in the elderly and can spread |
| end up with a nasty fungal nail infection that could | | | | rapidly from one family member to another. |
| ruin your nails! | | | | Removing the cuticle is usually the first step in |
| This warning comes from Dr. Marta J. VanBeek, | | | | getting a manicure or a pedicure. New York |
| assistant professor, Department of Dermatology | | | | dermatologists Drs. Herbert P. Goodheart of |
| at the University of Iowa College of Medicine in | | | | Mount Sinai Hospital and Hendrik Uyttendaele of |
| Iowa City, who said that while most nail salons | | | | Columbia University Medical Center said this is not |
| conscientiously keep their places clean, some are | | | | a good idea since it can lead to inflammation and |
| perfect breeding grounds of stubborn fungi that | | | | infections of the surrounding tissue and nail root, |
| can compromise your health. | | | | and cause permanent nail deformities. |
| Look at the salon with cleanliness in mind and | | | | "The cuticle is a barrier that protects the skin and |
| ask yourself these questions: Are the stations | | | | the delicate nail matrix, or 'root' of the nail. Pushing |
| clean? Does the nail technician wash her hands | | | | back on the cuticle can injure it and expose the |
| between clients? Are there dirty implements lying | | | | paronychium or skin fold around the nail, to |
| around? If the salon does not appear clean, then | | | | bacteria and result in infection," VanBeek said. |
| move on," VanBeek said. | | | | Unclean instruments are another cause for |
| Her advice is timely considering the growth of the | | | | concern. While the states regulate their respective |
| salon industry that serves millions of people | | | | salons and their technicians, they can’t |
| worldwide. In 1995 alone, Americans spent an | | | | always monitor what’s happening in your |
| estimated $5.2 billion on nail services, half a billion | | | | area unless something goes wrong. And often it |
| more than in 1994, according to the Nails 1995 | | | | does. In 2000, over 100 infections were traced to |
| Fact Book. During that time, there were over | | | | footbaths used in nail salons. |
| 34,000 nails salons across the country — | | | | Unclean implements are especially dangerous if |
| an increase of 2,000 over the previous year. | | | | the skin around the nail is broken. This can occur |
| Today, there are more than 50,000 nail salons in | | | | with overzealous manicuring - if, for example, too |
| the United States with women (and some men) | | | | much of the cuticle is cut or pushed back too far. |
| spending more than $6 billion a year on nail care | | | | If the cuticle is cut or separated from the |
| and cosmetics. That figure doesn’t include | | | | fingernail, infectious agents can get into the |
| the number of beauty salons that offer nail | | | | exposed area, explained Paula Kurtzweil of the |
| services. | | | | US Food and Drug Administration. |
| People often go to these salons for artificial nails | | | | To avoid trouble, see your doctor at the first sign |
| which are the most requested service, the Fact | | | | of infection. Many antifungal medications are |
| Book said. At the No. 2 slot are manicures | | | | available but they are generally expensive, contain |
| followed by nail jewelry and nail art. Unfortunately, | | | | harsh chemicals that can do more harm than |
| these beauty services harbor an ugly secret: they | | | | good, and may affect your heart and your liver. |