It DOES matter where you get your nails done.

Almost everyone has heard horrifying stories about people who walk away from nail salons with foot fungi or bacterial growths.  We have certainly heard our fair share.  The publication of these has made for a more cautious consumer and in fact, our most frequently asked questions for our nail department are sanitization centered--namely: “How do you sanitize your instruments?” 

What makes us different you ask?  Well, we pride ourselves on exceeding standards and for our nail clients that means the absolute best in cleanliness and service.  We start out with the standard protocol approved by the State Board of Cosmetology, which involves scrubbing the instruments clean of any visible debris, soaking them in an EPA approved disinfectant, and subjecting them to UV sterilization.  Then we utilize an onsite steam autoclave which effectively kills 100% of any potentially remaining bacteria. 

But how do we KNOW an autoclave kills off any remaining harmful infectants? Simple.  We test it.  In every cycle we run through the autoclave, we also include a contained bacterial culture.  Once the cycle has finished, we place the culture in an incubator for 24 hours and wait and see if any growth appears on the culture.  If not then the instruments are ready for use; if so, we run it through another cycle. 

This extra step is more often than not omitted by most spas, but is crucial in ensuring a sterile and bacteria free environment.  While the standard sanitization process significantly reduces the amount of bacterial spores left behind, a successful steam autoclave cycle will completely eliminate it.  We believe the state board is too lenient on sanitation policies (even if they are followed 100% of the time) and we have instituted additional policies to fill that gap. As a consumer, you should be on the lookout for unsanitary practices in your spa, and move on the safest environment near you.  Only when you are truly confident in your salon will you truly be able to relax.