Having nice clean hands and fingernails has always been a sign of good grooming. Not only that, it’s healthy. Hand washing and making sure the dirt under your fingernails is gone are critical to help stop the spread of bacteria.
But some of us like to take our fingernail care one step further and schedule a manicure. Male or female, a manicure is an extra step to ensure nice, clean nails.
It’s easy enough to do you own manicure, but why not go to a salon and be pampered by someone else for an hour? That also sounds appealing, right?
But remember, you go to the salon for a manicure, not for warts or fungus .
Here are some tips from luxist.com
•Check out the salon for cleanliness and safety precautions. Don’t be afraid to ask for a quick tour if you are considering a new salon or to ask the owner or manager of your current salon what steps they take to ensure safety. And take a look around. Does the salon look clean and sanitary? Is the trash container properly bagged and covered? Is the floor clean? Are the manicure tables kept neat and tidy? Is there good light?
• Look at the disinfectant containers and make sure that they are clear, clean and free of debris.
• Next, check the station where your service will take place. Ask if all instruments are cleaned and disinfected (even better: autoclaved) after each use, and if you need proof, have the technician show you the cleaning area or solution. Does he or she use fresh, clean instruments on each client?
• Make sure all files, buffers and anything else that touches you is freshly clean before you allow the technician to begin. Also, the technician should wash his or her hands before and after each client or wear fresh gloves. Clean towels should be used for every client.
• Avoid having your cuticles cut. Cuticles serve a purpose — they protect the nail bed from allowing infection to enter. If you like how your nails look with them pushed back, ask for cuticle softener, rather than cuticle scissors. After the cuticles are softened, the technician can wipe away or gently scrape away, the excess with a fresh orangewood stick.
Some salons will even agree to use your own tools if you bring them in, so you can also consider that as an option
