The outbreak of disease in people caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin continues to grow in the United States and internationally. Today, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports additional confirmed human infections, hospitalizations and the nation’s first fatality from this outbreak. The more recent illnesses and the reported death suggest that a pattern of more severe illness associated with this virus may be emerging in the United States. Most people will not have immunity to this new virus and, as it continues to spread, more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths are expected in the coming days and weeks.

CDC has implemented its emergency response. The agency’s goals are to reduce transmission and illness severity, and provide information to help health care providers, public health officials and the public address the challenges posed by the new virus. Yesterday, CDC issued new interim guidance for clinicians on how to care for children and pregnant women who may be infected with this virus. Young children and pregnant women are two groups of people who are at high risk of serious complications from seasonal influenza. In addition, CDC’s Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) continues to send antiviral drugs, personal protective equipment, and respiratory protection devices to all 50 states and U.S. territories to help them respond to the outbreak. The swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is susceptible to the prescription antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. This is a rapidly evolving situation, and CDC will provide updated guidance and new information as it becomes available.

How your spa should handle the situation

According to industry experts Rebecca James Gadberry, chairman and co-CEO of YG Laboratories, and Terri Wojak, director of True University, the following steps should be taken by your spa to help make it as safe and sanitary as possible for clients and employees alike.

1. Hand sanitizer. Place hand sanitizer in key areas throughout the spa, especially in the reception area, bathrooms and locker rooms. Provide all employees with pocket-sized hand sanitizers and encourage them to carry the sanitizer when they’re off-premises, too.
2. Protective gear. Make sure all estheticians wear gloves and a medical-grade protective face mask throughout services. For the esthetician to see, the mask should lay flat over the mouth and nose rather than in a bubble shape. Do not touch anything else while wearing gloves, such as your face, nose and other surfaces. If it’s unavoidable, change gloves before continuing the service and properly disinfect any areas that were touched.
3. Wipes. Wipe down frequently used doors, phones and communal key boards with sanitation wipes once an hour.
4. Keep rooms clean. Thoroughly wash bowls, brushes and other implements with antibacterial soap and use a medical-grade disinfectant. Always change sheets, towels and bedding after each client.
5. Keep products sanitary. Products need to be kept sanitized, as well. Dispense products into separate bowls before touching the client, or if you need to grab something else, again make sure you have on a fresh pair of gloves. Every product should also be wiped down with a disinfectant after every service.
6. Cancellation policy. Suspend your cancellation policy until the pandemic has passed. Clients who feel ill may decide to come in rather than lose money because they cancelled an appointment.
7. Do not treat ill clients. If a client shows signs of being ill, do not treat proceed with the treatment. It is better to be safe than sorry, and it is not fair to put providers, employees or other clients at risk for illness.
8. Send employees home. Make your staff aware of the main symptoms of the H1N1 virus. These can be found further down in this article. If an employee feels ill at work or before she comes to work, allow her to stay home. This illness comes on suddenly, so make sure you have backup plans to replace employees who may call in sick or be sent home during their shift.
9. Visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Web site. Not only can you keep up with the latest news about the virus, you can also download a variety of posters to help build awareness about how to protect against passing along the disease and being exposed to it.

The swine flu and you

The following information was provided by the CDC Web site.

What is swine flu?

Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza viruses that causes regular outbreaks in pigs. People do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen. Swine flu viruses have been reported to spread from person-to-person, but in the past, this transmission was limited and not sustained beyond three people.

Is this swine flu virus contagious?

CDC has determined that this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people.

What are the signs and symptoms of swine flu in people?

The symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. In the past, severe illness (pneumonia and respiratory failure) and deaths have been reported with swine flu infection in people. Like seasonal flu, swine flu may cause a worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions.

How does swine flu spread?

Spread of this swine influenza A (H1N1) virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

How can someone with the flu infect someone else?

Infected people may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and up to seven or more days after becoming sick. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick.

What should I do to keep from getting the flu?

First and most important: wash your hands. Try to stay in good general health. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food. Try not touch surfaces that may be contaminated with the flu virus. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Are there medicines to treat swine flu?

Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with these swine influenza viruses. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within two days of symptoms).

How long can an infected person spread swine flu to others?

People with swine influenza virus infection should be considered potentially contagious as long as they are symptomatic and possible for up to seven days following illness onset. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his eyes, nose or mouth. Droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air. Germs can  spread when a person touches respiratory droplets from another person on a surface such as a desk and then touches his own eyes, mouth or nose before washing his hands.

How long can viruses live outside the body?

We know that some viruses and bacteria can live two hours or longer on surfaces such as cafeteria tables, doorknobs and desks. Frequent handwashing will help you reduce the chance of getting contamination from these common surfaces.

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?

There is no vaccine available right now to protect against swine flu. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza. Take these everyday steps to protect your health:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick with influenza, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school, and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?

If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. Do not go to work or school if ill. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Cover your cough or sneeze if you do not have a tissue. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.

What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water. or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. The CDC recommends that when you wash your hands—with soap and warm water—that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn’t need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.

What should I do if I get sick?

If you live in areas where swine influenza cases have been identified and become ill with influenzalike symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you may want to contact your health care provider, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your health care provider will determine whether influenza testing or treatment is needed. If you are sick, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others. If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.

In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing
• Bluish skin color
• Not drinking enough fluids
• Not waking up or not interacting
• Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
• Flulike symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
• Fever with a rash

In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Sudden dizziness
• Confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting

How serious is swine flu infection?

Like seasonal flu, swine flu in humans can vary in severity from mild to severe. Between 2005 until January 2009, 12 human cases of swine flu were detected in the United States with no deaths occurring. However, swine flu infection can be serious. In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman in Wisconsin was hospitalized for pneumonia after being infected with swine flu and died eight days later. A swine flu outbreak in Fort Dix, New Jersey, occurred in 1976 that caused more than 200 cases with serious illness in several people and one death.

Can I get swine influenza from eating or preparing pork?

No. Swine influenza viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.

From the Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov). Accessed April 30, 2009

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At Cat’s Scratch Nails Salon in Aurora, the newest pedicure treatment no longer requires a technician to pull out a scrub brush or razor to remove dead skin and calluses from the feet.

Instead, that job is left up to the fish.

Fish pedicure is the latest beauty fad slowly making its way into salons in the U.S. The treatment, which costs about $60, involves submerging your feet into a fish tank filled with 100 or so toothless, tiny carp which nibble away dead skin cells, resulting in smoother and softer skin. And while the fish are busy biting away, the client is treated to a gentle foot massage.

Previously popular in Turkey and Asia, these scaly critters — known as Garra Rufa fish or Doctor fish — have been reported to be beneficial in the treatment of skin diseases like psoriasis and eczema for more than 150 years.

That in itself — along with a bit of prodding from a handful of her regular customers — was enough to convince Cat’s Scratch Nails owner Mya Doan to test the waters on the cutting-edge treatment in her salon.

“There is much controversy in the cosmetic industry over the use of razors in the removal of calluses, so this offers a very safe and natural approach to the treatment and exfoliation of the skin,” Doan said.
State keeping watch

The main difference between the use of the fish pedicure in the U.S. and in Asia, Doan said, is its main purpose. In the U.S., the treatment has not been approved for use on skin diseases. Instead, it is only offered to clients with healthy skin and common ailments like dry, flaky skin.

After each fish pedicure, the tank is drained, cleaned and sterilized, Doan said. It is then refilled with fresh filtered water which is also sterilized.

A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said the department “will investigate any spa that offers fish pedicures.

“The department plans to conduct outreach to ensure that spa owners and the general public are aware of the risks of fish pedicures, and encourages patrons to be vigilant and report any spas that offer this service,” said IDFPR spokesman Louis Pukelis.

It took quite a bit of planning to get the fish here from Singapore, and also a bit of a learning curve in finding the right tanks to house them, the proper filtration system and to learn the best sanitization procedures, Doan said.

Popular in down economy
When the fish first made their debut last fall, Doan was skeptical as to whether there would be enough demand for the service. However, once word started to spread, the phones haven’t stopped ringing.

Doan believes she is the first salon in Illinois to offer the service.

“The fish came at time when the economy was really starting to get worse, and there was a noticeable decrease in my business,” Doan said. “Naturally, people have been cutting back on spa pampering treatments, but the fish pedicures have really brought new life to my business.”

She said the spa has had clients come from Indiana and Wisconsin to try out the fish procedure.

During the holiday season, gift certificates specifically for the fish pedicure were a hot seller at the salon.

The experience starts out with 30 minutes with the fish and is then finished off with a traditional pedicure performed by a technician. Visitors should plan on about an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish.

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Police: Fake Doctor Arrested At Med Spa

Customer Complaints Lead To Arrest

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — A 25-year-old man was arrested Thursday after medical spa customers complained that he was impersonating a doctor, Altamonte Springs police said.

Carlos J. Delgado faces charges of practicing without a medical license after Altamonte police arrested him while executing a search warrant at the Radiant Med Spa, located at 150 Cranes Roost Blvd., suite 1220.

The spa has been in operation since June 2008 and offers cosmetic procedures to its clients.

Police are asking others who have received cosmetic procedures under the care of Delgado or the Radiant Med Spa to contact the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
An investigation is ongoing.

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Health
World’s Authentic Spa Experiences

Remember when a Swedish massage sounded exotic?

As recently as a decade ago, many U.S. spas offered fairly generic menus, counting European facials and the standard Swedish massage as their most unique offerings.

The industry has gotten more diverse and creative since then, branching out into treatments and body scrubs native to India, Korea and Thailand. But that hasn’t stopped dedicated spa-goers from roaming far and wide for spa treatments.

In Depth: World’s Authentic Spa Experiences
Experts in the industry say that, for the past few years, a small group of adventurous spa regulars with money to spend has been traveling, domestically as well as abroad, in search of spa experiences that more closely resemble their original forms. The therapies usually offer the promise of a health benefit or treatment of a chronic illness, such as a reduction in inflammation or relief of arthritic pain. But the treatments also provide a window into a different culture.

“Seeking out the true roots of a tradition is very appealing,” says Mindy Terry, president of Creative Spa Concepts, a full-service spa consulting firm. “And there’s a lot of bragging rights, too–to be able to say ‘I’ve done onsen in Japan’ or thalassotherapy in France, that’s significant to this group.”

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Carolee Friedlander, CEO of the by-invitation network for women AccessCircles, has been an avid spa-goer since the ’80s, shortly after Canyon Ranch opened its first health resort in the foothills of Tucson, Ariz.
Over the years, she began making a habit of visiting spas during travels to China and Thailand, but found that most of the focus was on massages and body or facial treatments. Today, she says, there are far more experiential treatments aimed at helping you re-energize and heal.

Take, for example, the outdoor bath she took at an Amankora Spa in Bhutan during a recent trekking trip. As she looked out on Mount Jumolhari, Friedlander relaxed in a wooden tub filled with hot stones–to regulate the water temperature–and floating local herbs, a practice said to ease muscles aches.
“It was in fact a reflection of the country’s cultural, physical and spiritual values,” she says.

Friedlander isn’t the only one who has developed a taste for a touch of authenticity. Dr. S.P. Sreejit, medical director of Athreya Ayurvedic Resorts in Kottayam, India, estimates the number of customers from around the world seeking the facility’s traditional Ayurvedic and rejuvenation therapies has doubled in the past couple of years.

The therapies include shiro dhara, a cleansing and invigorating treatment that involves the careful pouring of a stream of medicated liquid or oil on the forehead for 45 minutes. While offered at many spas and medical centers in the U.S. in single sessions, this kind of Ayurvedic treatment was traditionally designed to be given in conjunction with other medicinal therapies over a period of weeks.

Environment also plays a role in the effectiveness of a spa experience. At Athreya Ayurvedic Resorts in Kottayam, guests live and breathe the therapy, surrounded by peaceful, green paddy fields and an exotic herbal garden with access to a yoga and meditation hall.

Sure, you may be able to get a version of the traditional Maldivian sand massage, which uses cool, wet sand to exfoliate the skin, in your local spa. But it likely won’t be performed on a patch of shaded sand next to the Indian Ocean, as the waves roll in and out, lulling you to sleep.

What spa treatment do you swear by? Weigh in. Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.
The little things can also make a big difference when you’re experiencing a spa treatment in its country of origin. Get a fango, an Italian mud treatment, in the U.S. and you may get a light body mud wrap. Go to the source and you’re likely to have inches of mud applied to your whole body–mud that somehow smells fresh and gives you the same feeling as bathing in mineral springs.

There were no major practical differences in the Thai Yoga massages received in and out of Thailand. But the native Thai masseuse, who had been practicing the art most of his life and probably learned it from his family, performed the stretching techniques in a much more fluid manner.

But you don’t have to go all the way to Thailand for a unique spa experience. Look hard enough and just about every country has an indigenous spa ritual. In Virginia, the one-year-old Spa of Colonial Williamsburg, for instance, offers treatments inspired by healing and relaxation practices from each of the last five centuries.

The price tag associated with tradition varies widely depending on the type of overall experience you’re seeking. A Thai Yoga massage could cost $160 in a Thai spa connected to a luxury hotel, while down the street in a storefront shop, it could cost $5. A two-hour, 18th-century inspired colonial herbal spa experience in Williamsburg will run you $265.

If you feel the urge to try an authentic local healing or relaxation ritual on your next trip, look at some spa menus online and see what’s unique, ask the hotel concierge and, most important, turn to the locals for advice.
Talking to the people who work in the hotel, service your room or run nearby shops. They will know the truly indigenous places to go.
With any luck and an adventurous spirit, you may soon, too.

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Toxic Beauty: Salon Safety Tips for a Healthy Summer

Award-winning Le Jardin Day Spa offers tips to prevent a luxury spa experience from turning in to an infectious nightmare.

Le Jardin Day Spa and Salon, the most award-winning and credentialed Spas in the Philadelphia-area, today announced tips for looking your best while staying safe at any spa this summer. LeJardin, voted Top Day Spa in Montgomery County four years in a row, recognizes that summer is the height of pedicure and Spa season, and that women around the country should be vigilant when it comes to pampering themselves this summer.

“Too often, women neglect safety when it comes to pampering,” said Stephen Fox, Owner of Le Jardin Day Spa and Salon. “Although there are thousands of reputable and safe salons across the country, we hope that the following information will arm women with the knowledge to stay beautiful and safe this summer,” he continued.

1.   Your Nose Knows – You should avoid salons where you notice strong odors. Salons that practice proper safety procedures should provide proper ventilation and maintain a near odorless environment in all areas. Inappropriate exposure to certain salon chemicals can lead to headaches, respiratory irritation, skin problems and more.

2.   Writing on the ‘Bathroom’ Wall – Like with restaurants, you’ll want to visit the bathroom of any salon you visit. The establishment’s restroom-cleanliness will offer a quick glimpse at their overall hygiene.

3.   Lethal Weapon – Any instrument that is used as part of a Spa service, from nail files to hair trimmers, should be properly disinfected after each use, not once at the end of the day.

4.   Disinfect to Protect – Technicians are required to clean both their and hands and their clients hands (and feet) prior to any nail service or massage. Be sure you’re not an exception. In addition, salon instruments are not the only thing that may be carrying germs or harmful bacteria; pedicure tub, manicure station and massage table surfaces all must be sanitized after each guest. This includes nail files, pumice stones, toe separators and more.

5.   Help Your Self – Le Jardin suggests that guests avoid shaving their legs immediately prior to any pedicure, or facial waxing prior to any facial. This will decrease any self-inflicted cuts, nicks or blemishes which could result in an infection. Meanwhile, don’t have your cuticles trimmed too aggressively, this could cause unnecessary bleeding.

6.   You Get What You Pay For – The price of your service does not indicate that you’ll receive a higher quality or safer experience. Do your homework.

7.   Do Ask, Do Tell – Don’t hesitate to ask for a technician’s license. All salons should have their Health & Safety Certificate displayed and should have the licenses of their technicians readily available.

8.   Toxic Beauty – Keep in mind that some products are toxic if swallowed. Le Jardin suggests that you wash your hands before eating or touching your eyes or nose following a salon treatment. Also, do a patch test if you suspect that you might be allergic to a lotion or chemical.

9.   Just Say No — Technicians should not offer service to a guest if they suspect the guest might have a cut or infection. Similarly, if a technician is responsible for accidentally cutting or burning a guest by filing too close to the skin, cutting a nail too low or by the high temperature of water or wax, a guest should immediately halt their service and disinfect their injury.

10.   Au Natural – Many all-natural and organic products are available on the market today, thus many salons are offering their guests the opportunity to reduce their carbon imprint on the environment. Le Jardin offers various organic shampoos, hair colors, lotions, polishes, makeup and waxes. Ask your salon for a list of their ‘green’ products.

Once considered a luxury, top quality salon services are now main stream. However, like with all medical procedures, there are always risks to any salon treatment. Clients are responsible for their own well-being and should research a salon before making an appointment, just like they would research a doctor or hospital. Le Jardin offers these tips as well as free beauty consultations and complimentary health seminars. Avielle, their premiere line of exclusive cosmetics, launching this summer, completes their wellness package.

Le Jardin strives, seven days a week, to provide the local community with a relaxing and elegant environment from which to receive the highest quality aesthetic services available. They have accomplished this by choosing exceptionally talented, certified professionals to perform state-of-the-art treatments which unify the body, mind and spirit. By creating harmony of these three elements their customers live happier and healthier lives. With years of experience and continuing education, Le Jardin’s dedicated staff is ready to serve the community and all of their needs–from pregnancy massages to facials, pedicures and dynamic hair design. The Spa offers beauty treatments for every woman and for every budget–a great idea for a birthday, bridal or baby shower or teachers gift.

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Stay spa safe from Day Spa Dangers

“You know you don’t want things done to your face that you don’t know anything about, so I tried to do my homework.”

Linda Hampton made that decision before undergoing laser hair removal. She knew there were risks involved and wanted to be safe.

“I was a little apprehensive because I was afraid to tell you the truth but after I had it the first time I had no problem.”

 

Dr. Jim McNatt with Georgia’s Medical Board says among things like Botox injections, and chemical peels, laser hair removal is the number one cosmetic procedure being offered at day spas and salons, but there’s concern.

 

“The use of lasers in day spas has been a problem and seems to be growing. There are a number of practitioners out there who are not authorized to use lasers in Georgia who are in fact using lasers to perform cosmetic procedures on patients.”

 

He says regulating the unlicensed practice of medicine isn’t easy.

 

“That’s difficult because we’re a small agency with a small budget. We have seven investigators for the entire state.”

 

With so few investigators, there’s a risk of people getting injured in unlicensed facilities. McNatt says, those injuries many times are not reported by patients.

 

“The complaints are not always from the patients having problems, it could be from a doctor in the town that knows this is going on and believes it is wrong,” said McNatt.

 

Dr. Anika Bradley is a plastic surgeon who runs a medical day spa in Georgia.

 

“Many of the procedures aren’t necessarily difficult to perform but they do have potential complications. Non-surgical does not mean not brought without complications,” said Bradley.

 

She says protecting yourself means knowing the difference between a day spa and a medical day spa.

 

“Medical spas always have a physician involved and thus they get that distinction. Day spas are places that tend to offer less aggressive treatment and many of them do not have physicians who are on staff. They are in things such as salons and free standing buildings that may have people trained in cosmetology.”

 

Dr. Kevin Baggett and Dr. Becky Campbell agree. They run a medical day spa of their own in Warner Robins.

 

“Some spas will have a medical professional that might be associated with it but they might not be on site. They might be in another city, said Baggett.”

 

According to the Georgia Medical Board, if it learns of an unlicensed person or business practicing medical procedures like laser hair removal or botox injections, they send out a cease and desist letter.

 

McNatt says they have limited authority in enforcing the law. There are no fines and for the most part he says, investigators don’t follow up.

 

“That was part of the reason that the board has been attempting for a number of years to pass rules and regulations that would make what was allowed and what was not allowed more clearer,” said McNatt.

 

Safe Spas – What you need to know about spa sanitation

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Forbes – Is your Spa Safe?

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A growing number of spas in the past several years have shifted from a focus on pampering to overall wellness. Of course, you can still book a massage or facial. But you’re now more likely to see options such as healthy sleep workshops, too.

If you want to make sure your goal doesn’t backfire, however, experts recommend checking out your spa or medical spa as thoroughly as you would any doctor. That means asking lots of questions. The risks of failing to do so range from a minor nail infection to–in the extreme–death, as in the 2005 case of a woman who was administered a fatal dose of lidocaine for a hair-removal treatment by a physician connected to a Raleigh, N.C., spa.

“Anytime you feel your questions are not being answered correctly, freely and completely, walk,” says Hannelore Leavy, executive director of The International Medical Spa Association, a professional organization focused on promoting quality consumer care. “This is your health.”

Healthiest Massages

Experts say the first step you should take to ensure the safety of your spa is a straightforward one–visit it. If you see anything that appears unclean or makes you uncomfortable, trust your gut, says Lynne McNees, president of the International SPA Association, a trade association with more than 3,000 members in 75 countries.

While requirements widely vary, it’s also worth asking whether the facility and staff hold licenses, as well as inquiring about the level of the staff’s training. Cosmetologists and therapists who work hard to keep their papers up to date tend to proudly display their qualifications, says Alicia Slifko, general manager of the Weston, Fla.-based Red Door Lifestyle Spa.

Doctor Download

Don’t even think about skipping this step if you’re seeking a medical treatment, such as a shot of Botox or laser skin resurfacing, from a spa, says Dr. John Anastasatos, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Beverly Hills, Calif. Make sure whoever is administering your procedure is an experienced, licensed physician or a well-trained nurse or physician’s assistant operating under a doctor’s supervision. Be aware that a medical spa also may have a medical director who has no training working with lasers or injectables, Anastasatos says. Directors aren’t always required to be on site, either.

“I’ve seen girls come to my office who went to get laser treatments and have acquired burns,” Anastasatos says. “This can cause serious problems.”

To be safe, insist on a consultation with a doctor and ask who will be performing the treatment, how many times the person has done it, how far away the doctor will be during it, in case of an emergency, and what to expect overall.

Another way to make sure you’re visiting a reputable spa is to check whether it’s a member of a professional organization with a code of ethics. It’s also a good idea to peruse online ratings and reviews on sites such as Spafinder.com to read about other spa-goers’ good and bad experiences.

“I don’t suggest anybody put a ton of weight on one review or one source,” says Susie Ellis, president of Spafinder.com. “But if the consumer looks at the aggregate, then it’s a really good resource.”

Good spas also will ask you lots of questions. Staff, whether verbally or via an intake form, should inquire about your allergies, medications and conditions, and it’s your responsibility to be upfront. People with high blood pressure, for instance, need to know they should avoid warm wraps, which could cause a spike in their numbers. And if you’ve had shoulder surgery, you should tell your massage therapist, who can cater his or her treatment or possibly add in a heat pack, McNees says.

“The more you share,” she adds, “the more [they] can help.”

Checklist: How To Make Sure Your Spa Is Safe

Read The Reviews

If you generally read reviews of movies and restaurants before hitting them, why wouldn’t you do the same when picking a spa? Web sites, such as Spavelous, provide ratings and detailed customer reviews of more than 4,000 spas, as well as list awards spas have won. Look for reviews that mention the spa’s cleanliness, for better or worse.

Cleanliness

When you first walk into a spa, everything from the receptionist’s desk to the massage table should appear spotless. Ask to take a tour of the facility, if possible, to check it out. A clean appearance doesn’t necessarily guarantee a safe spa trip, but it’s an essential starting point.

Book A Consultation

If you’re seeking a medical treatment, such as an injectable or laser procedure, experts say it’s worth it to have a consultation first. Find out who will be administering the procedure and how much experience he or she has performing it. If a doctor won’t be doing the work, find out how far away he or she will be in case of an emergency. Ask to see before and after pictures or for client references.

Intake Time

Good spas will ask about your medical history, experts say. This will alert anyone working with you about your allergies, medications or supplements you’re taking, as well as any conditions or surgeries you’ve had. People with high blood pressure, for instance, should avoid certain wraps, which could cause their numbers to spike.

Training

While licensing requirements vary from country to country, state to state and even county to county, it’s worth looking into whether a spa and its staff are licensed. Trained therapists tend to prominently display their qualifications. And check to see if your spa is a member of the local chamber of commerce and a trade association with a code of conduct.

Proper Protocol

Keep an eye on your cosmetologist’s tools and the spa’s overall sanitary practices. During manicures and pedicures, expect to be treated with sterilized or new equipment to prevent the spread of bacteria, which could cause infections. If something looks used, ask why. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your massage therapist and facialist to wash their hands before touching you and make sure the towels and sheets being used are fresh.

Compare Costs

Beware of no-frills spas that charge rock-bottom low prices, some experts warn. If a spa’s goal appears to be moving people in and out as quickly as possible, it may be cutting corners in other areas, such as employing unlicensed staff. Low prices also could indicate that a spa is less than diligent when it comes to sanitation.

Ask Questions

Never be afraid to ask questions about a spa, its staff and the treatments being offered. What should you expect, for instance, from a lymphatic massage? Should you feel any burning during a laser treatment? Will your facialist wear gloves? Spa staff should never be offended. It’s their job to make you feel safe and comfortable.

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New policies have nail salons on their toes

Cleanliness and hygiene counts, when possible health risks may occur

Dirty foot spas in Orange County nail salons have sparked concern among consumers, causing the creation of new regulations.

The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) is cracking the whip by enforcing a new regulation that allows any representative of the board to temporarily suspend an establishment’s license immediately if unsanitary conditions exist.

For Naomi Iberri, 28, of Anaheim, a trip to the nail salon is no longer a relaxing treat.

She said she believes she received a fungus on her toe last September from a Santa Ana nail salon.

She now looks for specific signs of cleanliness.

“I try to look for places that have sterilizers for their utensils, but if I don’t see any, I usually rely on the shop’s cleanliness,” Iberri said. “I look at the walls and check if everything else looks clean.”

New regulations protect the consumer, ensuring nail salons uphold a clean and healthy environment.

A nail salon can have its license immediately suspended temporarily if pedicure foot spas, basins, tubs and manicure or pedicure implements are dirty, according to the BBC Web site.

If debris is found in jets, foot-plates or impellers upon the removal of screens from foot spas, a license can be suspended.

Having insufficient cleaning material for disinfection and sanitation of equipment violates BBC regulations. The absence of pedicure cleaning logs also results in license suspensions.

The BBC also has the right to immediately suspend an establishment’s license if there is a history of repeat equipment violations.

Immediate license suspension is granted without first holding a hearing, according to the BBC Web site.

When an establishment’s license is suspended they have the right to due process and can appeal the suspension within 30 days once they are in compliance.

Lucy Cheng, a customer who frequently visits Professionail and Spa in Fullerton, pays close attention to the cleansing process in each salon.

She said she has watched employees at Professionail and Spa scrub foot spas with a powered-crystallized solution after every customer.

“I’ve seen them use new files for each customer and sterilize their instruments in a blue solution after each use,” the 25-year-old said.

Employees at Professionail and Spa, located at East Chapman Avenue and State College Boulevard declined to comment on their cleaning process.

Spokesman Russ Heimerich for the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), which handles public relations and is an administrative umbrella over the BBC, said new regulations stemmed from a recommendation by a “foot spa working group.”

The group formed to investigate recent outbreaks of microbacteria in whirlpool foot spas, Heimerich said.

The group included industry professionals, members of the BBC, DCA and county health departments.

“This regulation gives authority for board members to take immediate action when health conditions are non-compliant,” Heimerich said.

The type of microbacteria found in outbreak cases results in a scarring skin infection that is disfiguring and occurs only when unsanitized equipment is used, Heimerich said.

Iberri’s incident did not involve this same type of microbacteria, but Heimerich said such fungus is the result of the same unsanitary conditions.

Some salon owners agree with the new regulations and said it was necessary to have strict guidelines.

“You’re dealing with health issues, so it has to be strict,” said Bobby Trinh, owner of Victoria Nails and Spa in Orange. “Same thing if you went to a doctor’s office — You want to make sure they have strict regulations as well.”

Trinh has been in the industry for six years and has been the owner of the nail salon located near the intersection of East Katella Avenue and North Tustin Avenue for three years.

“If you are doing everything you are supposed to, you won’t have anything to worry about with these new laws,” Trinh said.

The state requires logs to be taken where the client’s name, foot spa number and time are documented. Once foot spas and utensils are sanitized, each manicurist initials the log.

The log is available for customer viewing upon request, Trinh said.

The establishment license and cosmetologist’s license must also be visible, according to the BBC Web site.

Trinh has come across customers who are skeptical because of violations by other nail salons they have seen reported on the news.

He said he always offers to show his log to concerned customers, as they have the right to this information.

Trinh’s salon uses state board-approved Americlean liquid solution to cleanse foot spas after each customer.

The solution soaks in the spa for 10 minutes before rinsing. Utensils that are indisposable also soak for 10 minutes in a solution for sterilization. These procedures are required by the BC.

Victoria Nails and Spa recently was nominated as one of the top five nail salons in Orange County according to the MyFoxla Web site.

Many salons have adopted the mentality of cleanliness and customer service.

Happy Nails, at the Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana, a franchise with over 40 locations, takes pride in a “clean environment and keeping the customer happy,” receptionist Jennifer Nguyen said.

Employees at Happy Nails were trained by the corporate office to follow all state board requirements, she said.

“It’s important to be honest with the customer. If they ask how we clean our equipment, we tell them,” Nguyen, 23, of Cypress said.

Consumers should ask questions about a salon’s cleaning process, Heimerich said.

“If there are any doubts about cleanliness, the best thing to do is walk out,” Heimerich warned. “The least expensive is not always the best way to go.”

Consumers should also keep from waxing or shaving their legs before having a spa pedicure.

Those with lupus or diabetes should consult their doctor before using a foot spa, Heimerich said.

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This article is brought to you by Spavelous.com.

 

Botox can reach the brain, researchers say.

Botox injection Botox injected into face muscles can travel into the brain, according to a study of laboratory rats and mice published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Once it reaches the central nervous system, the diluted form of the botulinum toxin can disrupt nerve cell activity, said researcher Matteo Caleo of Italy’s National Research Council, who led the project.

The study is the latest of several raising questions about the safety of the wrinkle-fighter Botox, which is made by Irvine-based Allergan.

In February, the Food and Drug Administration launched a review of Botox, citing 16 cases of deaths of patients who had received injections of the toxin.

All but one of the deaths were related to strong therapeutic doses of botulinum toxin. Even the one death that followed six weeks after an injection of weaker cosmetic-strength Botox was not caused by that treatment, Allergan said.

Allergan notes that Botox has been used safely by millions of patients over the past two decades.

Local cosmetic physicians say they have seen no problems worse than an occasional headache among Botox users, and no evidence that patients are wary of the injections. Several said that the fact that the injected toxin travels within the body has long been known, and is a reason why skilled physicians calculate safe dosages and use appropriate injection methods.

The Journal of Neuroscience gave the article the label, “Could botulinum toxin be bad for you?”

In a press release on March 26, the Society for Neuroscience, which publishes the journal, said,

Botulinum neurotoxin disrupts cell communication by destroying a protein essential to signaling between nerve cells. Matteo Caleo, PhD, of Italy’s National Research Council, and colleagues confirmed the movement of botulinum neurotoxin A by detecting the remnants of proteins it had fragmented. This evidence helped show that nerve cells at the injection site absorbed some of the botulinum neurotoxin, which was then transported across the cell and released to connected cells, where the proteins also were destroyed. The direction it traveled was opposite to that of the nerve cell’s electrical signals. These findings contradict previous research, which suggested that botulinum neurotoxin was completely degraded at the injection site and not transported beyond it.

Caleo’s team traced the movement of botulinum neurotoxins in mice and rats. The team made injections into the whisker muscles, the hippocampus, and the superior colliculus, a brain region that receives input from the eye. Using protein analysis and microscopic examination of the rodents’ brain tissue, the researchers found that, within three days, active forms of botulinum neurotoxin had migrated from the whisker muscles to the brain stem, from one hippocampus to the hippocampus on the opposite side of the brain, and from the superior colliculus back to the eye.

Brain cell activity was disrupted both where botulinum neurotoxin was injected and in some of these distant but connected sites. Caleo and his colleagues noted in particular that the effects of the botulinum neurotoxin injection on the hippocampus were still present six months later.

In March, researchers in Canada found that injected Botox migrates to nearby muscles.(This post was updated at 5:45 p.m. to add links and expand the discussion of past studies and the new Italian research.)

 

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