Most of us have heard salon horror stories -- and if you love splurging on a mani/pedi you may want to ask a few questions first. Do you know if the tools and applicators at your salon or spa are sterilized between clients? Have you ever asked how work surfaces and chairs are cleaned? Dr. Lisa Kellett, a dermatologist at DLK on Avenue Dermatology and Cosmetic Laser Surgery Clinic in Toronto, says that by frequenting spas and salons that do not adhere to proper cleaning and sterilization processes, you could be putting yourself at risk for infections, allergic reactions or other injuries.
Here's a sampling of what may be lurking in your spa or salon, and what to do if you think you've picked up an unwanted guest.
Wax or laser burns
Wax that's too hot and improperly used lasers can burn the skin. Kellett recommends undergoing laser treatments only in facilities that are licensed and supervised by a doctor. For waxing, choose an esthetician who is licensed, well qualified and experienced. Burned skin will be more sensitive to sunlight for up to a year, so be diligent about sunscreen. People of Asian or African descent who suffer burns are also at risk for hyperpigmentation: burning can spur the production of excess melanin, causing areas of the skin to darken. Hyperpigmentation can be treated with an over-the-counter bleaching cream, such as Neostrata HQ, or a prescription cream, such as Glyquin or Lustra, to restore the skin to its normal colour.
Burn
What it looks like: A superficial or mild burn will be red, painful and slightly swollen. The damaged skin could take up to two weeks to peel and heal. A more serious burn will look and feel similar but also have painful blisters, which can result in scarring.
What you should do: If the burn is mild, soak the skin in cool water and try a topical antibiotic cream, such as Polysporin. If the burn is more severe and there is blistering,
see a doctor.
Treatment: For blistered skin, antibiotic cream, a tetanus shot and an oral antibiotic to ease pain and swelling. Your doctor will dress the wound to help prevent infection. Depending on the severity of the burn, it could take about four weeks to heal.
Contact dermatitis: Double trouble
Contact dermatitis occurs when an irritant, such as the ammonia in a perm solution or the formaldehyde in acrylic nails, comes into contact with the skin, causing redness, scaling, swelling and sometimes blisters. If you think you may have developed contact dermatitis, call your salon for a list of product ingredients that you may have been exposed to before contacting your doctor. The list may help determine which ingredient has caused the problem. Contact dermatitis is divided into two main categories: irritant and allergic.
Irritant contact
This skin reaction can happen to anyone and is usually the result of a strong product ingredient that comes into contact with the skin. For example, many people react to the ammonium thioglycolate used in perm solutions. People with sensitive skin may be more at risk.
What it looks like: Red, scaly eruptions around exposed areas. They are often more painful than itchy. Reactions usually occur within minutes of exposure.
What you should do: Avoid contact with the product in future. If the skin is broken (by scratching or scaling), see a doctor to help prevent infection.
Treatment: Topical steroids, which help ease the itching and discomfort.
Allergic contact
This type of dermatitis only occurs if an individual comes into contact with a product that she's allergic to. Common allergens are nitrophenylenediamine and paraphenylenediamine found in hair dye and the paratertiary butylphenol formaldehyde resin in acrylic nail adhesive.
What it looks like: This type of dermatitis shows up in the form of itchy, red, scaly, hivelike bumps, and sometimes blisters. Although it's called allergic contact dermatitis, it can, in rare cases, spread outside of the exposed area. Reactions can occur up to 48 hours after contact.
What you should do: Try a cold soak or compress to relieve itching and burning until you can see a doctor. You can't test skin that's reacting, but after the irritation subsides your doctor can do a patch test to determine what you're allergic to and which ingredients to avoid in future.
Treatment: Topical anti-inflammatory cream for small areas of rash. If the rash covers a large area of the body, your doctor may prescribe oral steroids to reduce itching and swelling.
Page 1 of 3 -- Discover the signs of infection on page 2.
