Staying Fit
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Are you worried your salon UV nail dryer is a skin cancer risk? Wondering if tomorrow's spa facial will cause irritation? Nervous about brow microblading? Of course! The list of possible salon beauty threats is on the rise, thanks to warnings on social media. That's not good because we do love and often need pro primping and pampering. And some things are simply beyond our DIY skill set. So how to keep lookin’ good with peace of mind? My nine tips tell all:
1. Microblading requires special skills. This semipermanent tattoo trend is appealing to women 50-plus with sparse, thin or misshapen brows who want filled, groomed brows without the bother of makeup. It's become a best-seller service at hair salons and day spas. The technician uses a handheld device with tiny needles (not blades!) to replicate brow hairs. These fade to a weird blurry tint within a year. The downside: Some “microblade pros” are underqualified and produce dark cartoony brows with a fake, stenciled look. If it goes wrong there's not much you can do. As a preventive check, search for a local certified, licensed technician with the necessary training at the Society of Permanent Cosmetic Professionals (SPCP) or the American Academy of Micropigmentation. You want high quality pigments and updated equipment used under super-hygienic conditions. For extra security: Ask the technician to pencil your brows to an approximate shape and color first to evaluate the outcome.
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2. Salon sinks can trigger a headache or worse. Make sure the shampoo person places a rolled towel between your neck and the hard sink edge as you lean back for every single sudsing or rinse. There's evidence that if the sink ledge is unbuffered, the combination of pressure and position can pinch the arteries in the back of your neck and interfere with blood flow. This can cause an achy neck, dizziness, a migraine or on a serious level blood clots or even a stroke.
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3. Skip fish-y pedicures. You've heard about salon pedicure fish soaks where the swimmers supposedly eat away dead skin from your soles. The truth is they carry skin cells from client to client. Just say no! Emily Splichal, a New York City podiatrist, cautions: “Avoid pedicure soaks if you have any foot/leg cuts or sores and after a lower leg wax or shave, which can create small undetectable nicks in the skin that create a portal of entry for bacteria. It's important since there is a rise in staph infections called MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) that are hard to treat and resistant to antibiotics.” While tubs should always be drained, cleaned, swabbed with disinfectant and wiped between each customer, sometimes you can't tell. Salons that use disposable plastic footbath liners add a layer of reassurance. “Anyone with compromised circulation or nerve sensation to the feet should always skip the soak and cuticle part of a pedicure and just get a polish change,” Splichal says.
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