Pedicuring with caution

Healthy, neat nails and smooth feet, devoid of cracked, hardened skin, are the goal of everyone, but not everybody knows how to properly attend to them.   Christy Moses, a saloon director in Abuja tells Home Front that pedicuring can be very tricky and difficult, which is why most people prefer to have an expert do […]

Healthy, neat nails and smooth feet, devoid of cracked, hardened skin, are the goal of everyone, but not everybody knows how to properly attend to them. 

 Christy Moses, a saloon director in Abuja tells Home Front that pedicuring can be very tricky and difficult, which is why most people prefer to have an expert do the task for them.

 “But not everybody will take their time and sterilize their tools. Most times the use of unsterilised tools can spread infections such as hepatitis and HIV,” she said.

 So the next time you treat your toes to a pedicure, Christy advises that you follow these tips:

 1. Shun the razor. Never, ever let a nail technician put a razor to your feet and be wary of doing so yourself. The practice can lead to permanent damage along with upping your risk of infection through cuts and the possible transference of blood between customers. Callouses (the thickened and hardened part of the skin) provide cushioning between you and the ground, and removing too much of the toughened skin can make it hurt to walk.

2. Beware of the foot bath – If you have any cuts or bruises, hold off on the foot bath on your legs or feet as broken skin eases the passage of germs into your body.

3. Reduce cutting away the cuticle. The cuticle is the nail’s protective barrier and should not be pushed back. This can damage it and increase the risk of infection.

4. Always ensure you use your own tools. Because germs can spread through tools that aren’t properly cleaned, it is advisable to bring your own tools. Pedicure tools are not too expensive and everybody should at least own a set.

5. Sometimes do it yourself. Christy advises that for an at-home pedicure treatment, soaking the feet for about 20 minutes to three times a week in a salt solution, followed with scrubbing the foot and moisturizing with Shea butter is better than going to those chaps on the streets to help out.