Everything You Need to Know About Manicure Treatments
Your hands and nails deserve so much love and attention! They are your main tools for getting nearly everything done. We talk with our hands, gesture, and even show them off in photos. In the summer months, they are exposed to intense heat, the beating sun, and dryness. In the cooler months, your hands are subjected to cold harsh winds, dry cracking heat and wet frigid sleet. Next to our feet, our hands and nails really do take so much abuse!
Manicures are one of the most common cosmetic treatment for hands and nails. This popular treatment is to the hands as pedicures are to the feet. The manicure process can take up to about an hour to clean and freshen up your hands. The effects: you’ll simply look and feel better about yourself. This aesthetic service is most often sought after by those who need to keep a clean, professional look and to maintain strong, healthy nails.
Manicures are a great way to spend part of your day, either alone or with a colleague or friend. This popular service also makes for a perfect gift for someone who requires a bit of pampering and who deserves an experience in self-care.
The Manicure treatment focuses on supporting the fingernails and removing dead skin cells from the cuticles.
The removal of dead skill cells may involve the use of a disposable nail buffer and a cuticle pusher.
What Does The Hand Manicure Process Involve?
Once your hands have been cleaned the technician will:
1) Gently trim around your nail cuticles removing only dead skin, using a cuticle nipper.
2) Press the skin around the nail bed into a beautiful curved shape, revealing a uniform and symmetrical nail.
3) Buff your nail beds to ensure they are smooth and event and to remove any skin left behind from the cuticle pusher.
4) Clip your nails into a perfectly curved shape to suite your hands.
5) Once the nail has been shaped the nail will be filed into a smooth edge, and the nail bed gently buffed for a smooth look, ready for polish, if you choose. In between, you may have an opportunity to wash your hands and enjoy a refreshment.
6) To finish, you’ll enjoy an exfoliating hand rub. Once the service is completed your feet will be ready for a final wash and towel dry.
How To Choose A Hand Manicure Salon
If choosing a salon for your manicure treatment, be certain that they have been inspected and are found to be in compliance with regulations that control and prevent against infectious disease.
Be cautious of salons that do not practice safety. Never visit a nail salon that does not post their sanitization practices. All instruments must be cleaned of any visible debris, washed in hot soapy water, dried, then soaked in a sterilization solution as per instructions on the manufacturer label.
If your hands or nails show signs of infection or are damaged and do not recover easily from injury; then it is important to have your hands and nails looked at by your family doctor or a dermatologist. If your nail bed is compromised, if you have an open wound, or if there are any signs of infection you are likely not a candidate to receive any manicure or nails services at your local salon until any medical issues have been resolved or ruled out. You should never rely on aesthetic services to cosmetically resolve what may be an underlying medical issue.
What Do Infections Look Like?
Infections may appear as a bug bite which may become worse, grow larger, contain pus and cause scarring. Yellow nails or scaling skin anywhere on the hands may be a sign of fungal infection. Anything that looks red and angry may be a sign of bacterial infection. These signs should never be ignored and attention should be sought by a medical professional.
How To Prepare for a Hand Manicure Treatment
Avoid exfoliating or doing anything that would damage or break the skin within 24 hours of your manicure appointment. This prevents any possible infection.
Some salons offer the ability to purchase manicure tools for your exclusive use. You may either bring these tools with you or have them stored safely and separate from the rest of any shared tools.
How Are Foot Pedicure Tools Sterilized?
All reusable metal tools are cleaned in the following way after use:
All disposable tools or items are immediately discarded into the garbage. Alternatively, clients are welcome to take their disposable items with them.
The steel tools are wiped clean of any visible debris and then hand washed in hot soapy water to remove any oil-based products or film.
Finally, the tools are soaked in 70% non-diluted isopropyl alcohol for 10 minutes, removed and immediately dried or in PreEmpt C20 for 20 minutes. Pre-empt is controlled for potency with the use of test strips. All tools are packaged together in a sterilized pouch.
How Are Nail Stations Cleaned and Sanitized
Your manicure stations are prepared with sterile dental bibs and discarded at the end of your service.
The tables are cleaned in between clients with either isopropyl alcohol or pre-empt.
