Tag: foot care

There’s nothing like treating yourself with some well-deserved pampering. Spa treatments, massages, facials… There’s a warm, fuzzy feeling even thinking about taking an hour or two out to relax and be pampered. When it comes to getting your nails done, however, this warm feeling can become a little tainted. This taint comes from seeing the instruments used on your feet, being pulled out of a drawer or a cup, without any signs of sterilization on sanitation, and that uncomfortable thought creeps through your mind… “Who was this used on before me? Were they cut? Did they have any fungal infections or other infections that may spread to me? How hygienic is this really?” If you’ve ever thought this, you’re definitely not alone. We’re absolutely speaking from our own experience from before we got into podiatry and from the feedback that we still regularly receive from friends and patients. And it’s a very fair thought to have. Fungal nail infections are spread through contact. Plantar warts are spread through sharing surfaces like the foot spas and floors you frequent barefooted in a local nail parlour. While these risks are also present at gyms, saunas and the like, the risk is definitely higher at nail salons due to the tools that are used from person to person, without knowing the salon’s hygiene and sterilization protocols. What we do know, however, is our sterilization and hygiene protocols when we perform our medical grade pedicures.

• We use an autoclave on every single instrument, before every use. This uses heat/steam to completely sterilise every piece of re-usable equipment that comes into contact with your feet.
• Following the best-practice guidelines, the instruments are heated to at least 134 degrees to effectively kill anything that has previously come into contact with the instruments.
• We bag and record every single instrument set, the autoclave cycle it went through, the date it was sterilized, and the autoclave’s printout declaring that the cycle was successfully completed.
• We don’t open this bag until we’re with you in the treatment room.

And that’s just the beginning. We disinfect all of our surfaces, treatment chairs, floors, and go above and beyond to ensure our hygiene standards are top-notch. This is because our goal is not only to make you look and feel great, but care for your health and well-being. That’s what makes our medical pedicures different – plus the fact that with each appointment, your feet are also being checked by an expert podiatrist and we can make you aware of any risks or things we notice that you may not be aware of. So if you or any of your family would like to have a pedicure without the risk or worry, come in and see our team. You can book by calling 09 523 2333 or click here to book online.