Beauty at a price

Unhygienic salons can give you infection, says Nutan Sehgal

FOR most urban women, an occasional visit to the beauty parlour is almost mandatory. An exfoliating mask treatment to rid the skin of dead cells or a relaxing session of pedicure and manicure, threading and waxing or even hair styling. There is always a reason to be at the friendly neighbourhood beauty salon. But chances are that the parlour may be giving you more than just a haircut or a pedicure and manicure. It could be giving you bacteria.

Combs, brushes, make-up sponges and other tools are used from one customer to another. "I don’t need a microbiologist to tell me how dangerous these can be in spreading diseases," says Vaishali Parmar, a young housewife. "I prefer not to go to salons if I can help it. They are a breeding ground of skin diseases."

Germs can lurk anywhere and everywhere in a salon. From combs to scissors, from facial brushes to blackhead removers and from towels to powder puffs, they can make any tool a home. Unhygienic salons are a breeding ground for germs so it is always advisable to go to places that maintain high sanitary standards.

According to experts, at unhygienic places one runs the risk of contracting infection. The risk becomes high if you go for a manicure or a pedicure.

There is also a high chance of fungal infection if unsanitised instruments are used on a person immediately after it has been used on someone with an infection. So make sure all instruments are disinfected before being used.

"In most beauty salons standards of hygiene are not very high. One of the reasons could be that the latest hygiene technology is still very expensive and some equipment has to be imported. So they skip the expense and put the clients at risk," says cosmetologist Vinita Jain.

Infections can range from hair fungal to a ring worm or a rash during waxing or even pimples while removing blackheads. A blackhead remover if not sterilised can also spread bacterial infection on the face.

According to dermatologist Suman Prasad, if you are going in for a facial, it could mean skin rashes because dirty salons are happy homes for staphy-lococcus bacteria that causes pimples and boils.

She suggests preferably there should be no direct contact of the beautician’s hands with the face. "If disposable gloves are not available politely insist that hands be washed properly. Moreover, some instruments may need to get sterilised by boiling."

Once obtainable only in the West, antibacterial cleansers and hand lotions are now easily available in most up-market shops. According to doctors, they are quite effective as they contain two substances, ethyl alcohol and triclosan which eliminate bacteria and most germs. These lotions are far better than washing with soap and water as they form a glove of protection on the skin that can last up to eight hours.

Prasad warns in particular about innocuous tools like nail-cutters, combs or even a pair of scissors that can collect a variety of germs when they are used from one person to the other without proper sanitation.

"Though normally they have a little harmless bacterium on them, sometimes they can cause harm if they have come in contact with an open sore on someone’s skin. The bigger problem could be powder puffs and soft brushes. It is best to carry your own because the bristles of the salon brushes could contain some germs that can be transmitted from one skin to another."

The big trouble areas in unhygienic salons are liquid make-up, mascara and lipsticks. These can be real invitations for infections and skin rashes. So it is best to avoid these and use your own. Dermatologists also warn against make-up sponges. "It is best to avoid these as they can cause skin problems. But if you must use them it is best to go for air-drying after every use," says Prasad.

In fact, says the doctor, anything that is moist will breed bacteria and fungi that can cause rashes, pimples or fungal infection. "Never allow the beautician to use a towel twice. Ask for disposable face tissues or a freshly washed cotton pad."

It is in your own interest to see that hygiene rules are followed. After all, you are paying a price to look good, not to look sick. — NF