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Mayo Clinic Minute: Health precautions you need to know about pedicures
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Pedicures can feel great and make your feet look fabulous. But are they dangerous? Reports of people getting infections after pedicures have prompted some people to worry. Dr. Rachel Miest, a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, has safety tips to consider the next time you head to the spa for a pedi.
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There's nothing like getting pampered with a pedicure. But before you dip your toes in the water, check to be sure the spa is licensed properly.
"Oftentimes, those licenses come with the appropriate education, and they're following the appropriate protocols for how to keep you safe and how to prevent infection," says Dr. Miest.
She says bacterial and fungal are the two most common infections. To avoid them, she says don't be afraid to ask to make sure the spa cleans all equipment between customers. She says it's important to note that even if all of the appropriate precautions are taken from a cleaning standpoint, bacteria, viruses, fungi ─ these things are everywhere."
To reduce your risk, Dr. Miest says don't shave 24 hours beforehand and don't have your cuticles cut.
“Ask that they either leave your cuticles alone or gently push them back but not to aggressively push them back or clip them because that cuticle is a very, very important seal against things getting under the nail itself," she says. "If that's gone or removed, and even if the tools are clean, once you've got that opening, again, you’re at risk for infection.”
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