Before You Get Your Next Mani Pedi...

Manicure and pedicure safety is extremely important if you get your nails professionally done on a weekly basis. Here are a few Dermatologist-recommend tips before you make your next trip to the salon:

1. Apply a cream to moisturize your nails, especially after removing nail polish since most removers contain chemicals that dry the nails.
2. To prevent infection, never cut or forcefully push back your cuticles. If you must push them back, only do so gently after a shower or bath.
3. While most nail salons follow strict cleanliness and disinfection guidelines, look for the following when visiting a salon:

1. Does your nail technician have the necessary experience and/or license, if required?
2. Are the stations clean?
3. Does the nail technician wash her hands between clients?
4. Are there dirty tools lying around?
5. In addition, do not hesitate to ask how they clean their tools.

4. Shave your lower legs after getting a pedicure, not before. That means not shaving your lower legs for at least 24 hours before you get a pedicure. If you nick yourself while shaving, a pedicure could put you at risk for an infection.
5. If you get frequent manicures and pedicures, consider purchasing your own tools to be used at the salon.
6. In addition, check that the pedicure footbaths and filters are thoroughly disinfected before you use them. If they are improperly cleaned, they can harbor bacteria and fungus. If the salon does not appear clean, then move on.
7. If you want to wear a bright red or orange polish, prevent discoloration by applying an extra layer of base coat. If your nails become yellowed and discolored from the polish, your nails should return to normal color over several weeks if the same color is not reapplied.
8. While some people beg to differ, there is no scientific evidence that immersing nails in gelatin makes them stronger. Polishes that contain strengthening ingredients increase nail stiffness, which may make nails break more frequently.
9. Do not wear artificial nails to cover up nail problems as they may make them worse. Artificial nails are not recommended for people who are prone to fungal infections or have brittle nails. For people with healthy nails, artificial nails can be fine as long as they are not worn continuously.

1. Know what products are used in your artificial nails as the substances used can cause an allergic reaction in some people. If you develop a rash or other reaction, tell your doctor what products you used.

If you have any nail care questions, be sure to call and schedule an appointment with Dr. Talakoub. 

http://www.aad.org/skin-conditions/skin-health-tips/manicure-and-pedicure-safety/manicure-and-pedicure-safety#.UWmoqu2zK-I

Nail Knowledge Part I

For those you who hate repainting your nails every week after the polish chips off, nail shellacs are the answer. The chip-resistant and fade-resistant nail polish lasts for fourteen days and keeps your nails looking chic and healthy.

The shellacs are pigmented polymers that are painted on and bonded to the nail by UV radiation. They are polymerized in three layers with each layer hardened by exposure to the UV light to secure the pigmented polymers of the polish onto the nail. However, there are significant concerns about the safety of UV radiation. The blue/ purple color in the UV lamps at the salon has a wavelength in the visible and UV range that is poorly filtered by the eye and can reach the retina. Over time, this wavelength diminishes the lutein antioxidants stores in the eye, leading to macular degeneration, which impairs vision in the elderly.

Also, there is always a risk of skin cancer from any UV source. However, according to new studies, those concerns are unfounded. Researchers have found that there is a very low risk of squamous cell carcinoma with the UV radiation in the nail salon machines. Actually, only one person in tens of thousands will develop skin cancer because of nail salons’ UV radiation sources.

So if your nails are in need of a touch up, don’t hesitate to use shellacs, but here are some tips to keep you safe.

1. Ingest lutein vitamin supplements or eat more egg yolks, which are full of lutein, to prevent macular degeneration
2. Apply sunscreen to the back of hands to protect against the UV rays
3. ….even wear your sunglasses to the salon!