12% of nail salon operators had adequate (note: not premium or superior) disinfection and sterilisation processes, according to a recent public health survey across the ditch in New Zealand.  While a similar survey hasn’t been conducted here in Melbourne or even Australia recently, a number of health professionals continue to publically raise their concerns after their patients have suffered from ongoing infections picked up in the salon, with the battle lasting ten years in some cases.

And yes – before you ask – we are very much one of those clinics that regularly see and hear from patients who are suffering after what was intended to be a treat for their feet – often a gift from their loved ones. While we’ll talk your ear off about sports medicine, injury rehabilitation, and pain relief using laser, ANF and the like, medical pedicures are also a big part of what we do here at Sole Motion.

 

Medical Pedicures: Putting Your Safety First

Our medical pedicures, or commonly known as skin and nail care appointments, offer you complete care of your toenails and skin – much more comprehensively and safely than any salon. Every instrument used on your feet is either single-use and disposable, or steam sterilised in a regulated and AHPRA-approved cycle for approximately two hours at over 200 degrees – a cycle we know will leave your instruments as clean and sterile as possible to ensure the highest safety standards. And this is after the instruments are individually cleaned. 

Simply put, we have superior safety and hygiene protocols – because we’re registered health professionals that always put your well-being first. If you’re wondering why most salons don’t just choose to adhere to the same principles, the simple answer is that our equipment, the maintenance, and the immense energy going through every cycle is expensive and time-consuming. It’s just like that saying – if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

 

The Risks Aren’t Just To Your Feet – They’re To Your Health

While some people aren’t stoked when they get cuts or burns from the salon, the dangers lie much deeper than this. Three major health risks from nail salons include:

• Infections – if you have a cut, scrape or a break in the skin, and the instruments that are being used aren’t clean (or your beautician isn’t wearing gloves), bacteria can enter through the wound and cause a painful, and potentially dangerous, infection. While we hate to say it, there’s always a risk that the instrument was used on someone previously where it caused a bleed, and then wasn’t sterilised before being used on you. This rings massive alarm bells for us.
• Fungal nails – fungal nail infections are spread when fungal spores pass from one person to another through sharing the same surfaces. Fungus also thrives in warm and moist environments – just like that foot both you use during a spa pedicure. If a fungal nail infection takes hold, it can start damaging your toenails and leave them looking brittle, flaky, moth-eaten and the nail may start to lift away from the nail bed
• Athlete’s foot – this is also a fungal infection, but instead of affecting your nails, it affects the skin on the soles of your feet and in between the toes. The result can be itchy, uncomfortable and even painful

 

Medical Pedicures Care For Your Toenails & Skin

Medical pedicures comprehensively care for your toenails and skin – going far beyond what your nail salon does, just minus the polish. More than this, as every treatment is performed by a registered podiatrist, it also gives you time and opportunity to ask any questions or concerns you may have about your foot health and changes you’ve noticed, and for them to bring up any concerns that they may see that may be a health indicator. Our skin and nail care appointments include:

• Trimming your toenails – no matter how long, hard or thick
• Reducing the thickness of your toenails
• Removing any flakiness, discoloration from the top layer of the nail so your nail is smoother and looks healthier
• Removing any skin build-up from beneath the nails and the sides of the nails
• Conservatively managing nails that may otherwise start to become ingrown so they don’t reach that painful level
• Removing any corns
• Reducing any areas of thick callus
• Managing cracked heels
• Helping with skin dryness – removing the outermost layer of dry dead skin and applying moisturising cream to the skin

 

Beautiful Nails Should Never Cost Your Health

This is a firm belief of ours, so you can be sure that every appointment has a high level of safety, hygiene and care. Behind the scenes, we write treatment notes for every appointment so your care and progress is carefully documented.

For those wanting to go one step further for nails they love the look of, we also offer the Keryflex nail restoration treatment, which gives you beautiful, healthy-looking nails in one appointment.

 

We’ve Got Your Back – We Mean, Feet

If you don’t want to risk your foot health to have your nails and skin cared for – come in and see our team. Whether it’s our medical pedicures or one of our other fantastic range of services, you can always be assured that your care meets the strictest safety and hygiene regulations. 

 

Book your appointment online here or call us on 1300-FX-FEET