Ladies and gents, raise your hand if you have ever had a pedicure at a salon… it’s safe to say that may be a lot of you. And when you get one, you’re probably concerned with the level of sanitation of the utensils, the soaking bowl, and the like—but do you ever think about how sterile the nail polishes are? You should: contaminated polishes spread toenail fungus!
The number of cases of toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, is on the rise—up to roughly 35 million worldwide. Granted, not all of those cases resulted from tainted nail polish; yet, nail polish is a known conduit for the disease.
So what exactly is onychomycosis? And, besides contaminated polish, how does one contract it?
Onychomycosis is an infection caused by fungus that occurs under the surface of the toenail, making the nail darker in color and odorous. Debris often collects underneath the nail, which causes it to become thick and painful. If ignored, the infection can spread to your other toes and to others. Most commonly, the fungus is found in adults with diabetes and those with poor circulation as well as athletes, who sweat heavily in their shoes.
Now imagine, for a moment, the aforementioned athlete. Our athlete showers barefoot in the locker room and unknowingly contracts the onychomycosis fungus; later, she decides to get a pedicure. Our athlete then drives to the salon, picks out her nail color, checks that the utensils and tub are cleaned and sanitized, and sits back to enjoy a relaxing spa day. And why shouldn’t she? She doesn’t even realize her mildly discolored toenail is a sign of fungus. By the time she does, it’s too late: she’s already exposed anyone else who’s used that polish to the risk of infection. And so, the cycle continues….
Ultimately, those who were exposed could have avoided it altogether if they had simply brought their own nail polish with them. But safety at the salon is only one part of nail health—the other part is the brand of polish you choose.
You see, there are plenty of different nail polishes in the world, but, for the most part, those that are regularly available are not good for your nails. In fact, many of them leave your nails brittle, yellow, and prone to deterioration and breakage. That is why Dr. Siegel recommends Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Collection.
Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Polish is specially formulated by board-certified New York podiatrists Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel. It is made with clean, hypoallergenic, anti-fungal ingredients that are safe for pregnant women and children. The polishes use a blend of biotin, tea-tree oil, garlic bulb extract, lavender, wheat protein and vitamins C and E to minimize the appearance of dry, brittle nails, hydrate nail cuticles, and improve the wear-time of the nail color. The collection of products includes thirty beautiful colors as well as nail-care solutions, such as cuticle oil, hydration with biotin, and acetone-free removal. Dr.’s Remedy Enriched Nail Care Collection can be found at select podiatry offices, specialized foot care stores, and online.
So now that you are aware of what may be lurking in your salon’s nail polishes, the next time you want to treat yourself to a pedicure, be sure to pick up Dr.’s Remedy nail polishes before you head to the salon!
