We don’t often get asked this question, but people wonder - how am I being protected from cross contamination? Will I get a nail fungus or WORSE from my manI or pedi? So you arrive for your service, sometimes in fear, nervous to ask. We have all done it, wondered but not asked. Many of us have had cosmetic services around the world, but most of us never ask….yet we really want to know! So here is what we do at The Summit.
The tools we use in our manicures and pedicures are metal so that they can be sterilized. After sterilizing, the tools are placed in sterile sealed pouches. They are only opened in front of you just prior to your service. We also use metal foot baths with plastic disposable liners for each client. The reason - plastic foot basins cannot be properly disinfected. We do not use whirlpool type foot baths because they cannot be easily and fully disinfected between use.
If you are having electrolysis services, the probes used come pre-sterilized and are disposed after every visit. The metal electrolysis tweezers used to remove the hairs after treatment (and ingrown hairs) are owned by the client and only used on this client to avoid potential blood transfer.
Do you have waxing services? We use a fresh wooden spatula each time we dip into the wax (no double dipping here!) to avoid cross contamination.
Understanding the terminology
What is sterilization? It is any process that eliminates, removes, kills or deactivates all forms of life and other biological agents on a specific surface. Isn’t it great to know that our sterilization process helps to kill microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria and viruses?
What is Disinfection? It describes a process that eliminates many or all pathogenic micr-oorganisms, except bacterial spores, on inanimate objects.
There are three classifications of cleansing:
- Non-Critical – needs a low-level disinfectant. These would be equipment and tools that do not directly touch or only touches intact skin.
- Semi-Critical – needs a high level disinfection. Equipment and tools that contact non-intact skin or mucous membrane, but that ordinarily does not penetrate.
- Critical – these need sterilization. Items that puncture the skin, contacts the puncture site, or sterile instruments before puncturing.
Although the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia requires cleansing for semi-critical, here at the Summit we treat our cleansing classification as critical. Every Esthetician/Electrologist knows the importance of sterilizing implements used on you, our client. We take upmost care with our clients and the implements we use on you!
Rest assured that you’re not only receiving a top level service, but that you’re receiving it in the safest environment we can provide. Just another reason to come see us at The Summit!