Gaarde Hvidberg

They look so ordinary. Just little glass bottles filled up with vibrant colored liquid. But nail polish may contain dangerous chemicals, such as chemical, or cover bacteria, viruses and fungi. Buyer beware!

The dangers of nail polish, however, are only half the story. One other half is your nail salon. How clear is it, really? How well does it protect you from disease?

Many nail salons are not what they appear to be. If you are interested in operations, you will seemingly hate to learn about glass nail files. Despite advanced decorations and cheerful technicians, many areas don't follow proper hygiene methods.

A new concept have been created by btg Cosmetics Inc., manufacturer of the Toma brand of nail polish known for its formaldehyde-free formula, in nail care: a, never-used personal-size bottle of polish that after their service is complete consumers get to take home using them. BTG Cosmetics suggests that you ask these questions before you sit back for your next manicure or pedicure:

* Is every thing up to date? Be sure that your salon is operating under existing licenses and that the specialists are precisely qualified. Such papers should be displayed.

* How would be the resources sanitized? Clippers, scissors, records and other instruments must all be sterilized after each use. The tiny machine that exposes resources to ultraviolet light has yet to be accepted by OSHA, and barbicide, the huge blue liquid solution, is a disinfectant just and won't eliminate viruses such as hepatitis C.

Chemical sterilizers are used by many places with germicides and fungicides, but only a medical-grade autoclave can sterilize material objects enough by subjecting them to extreme heat under extreme stress. Also better: Some salons use new, individually wrapped tools for every customer.

* How safe is the nail polish? Your nail polish should really be treated like your toothbrush - do not share. As opposed to risk illness using a previously opened bottle of polish, obtain your salon to carry the Toma SlimLine individual polish series or provide your own polish. As an additional benefit, you can easily and quickly repair those expected chips in between nail services..