Hi Geeks

If anyone out there is heavily opinionated in any direction about the subject I write below, please contact me

thanks


Do you think that the media's approach * to publicising the campaign that Phyllis Starkey MP is taking to government on licensing the nail industry is -

1 - detrimental to it in total

2 - detrimental in the short term for long term benefits

3 - Not a problem at all - ALL GOOD!

* = small TV news stories that discuss the need for licensing by highlighting the damage done to nails by some salons. Thereby promoting and planting a negative ideal about nails-only salons in the mind of the general public.

I look forward to your comments!


thank you

Alex Fox

contact me on alex.xx.fox@gmail.com

or answer this thread if you prefer

I am not heavily opinionated about it but I suspect that the media stories are detrimental certainly in the short term.

Even if there is a piece which is balanced, the only bit which seems to be sticking in peoples minds is the negative side of it.

I agree with fiona......people will only remember the more shocking and horrific side to a story. And when people talk they will be saying OMG.....did you see the state of those nails on tv last night.....not did you she how nice another set were. And to be honest it is going to be the the horror stories are are going to be in the report the most as thats why the regulations are needed.
So i definatly think that it will be detrimental in the short term,even if it is meant well.

hi, i dont normally reply to messages, time thing, and also useless at this computer thing. i have been in the nail industry 20 years, and my word have things changed.

answer to your question.....i think media coverage is detrimental, i remember a few years ago watchdog being on the tv re; nail salons and their use of chemicals that are banned in europe and most parts of america. the only people who use this are the chinese nail salons. i have spoken to my clients in length and have put it to them that does no one find it strange that suddenly the chinese are not opening take aways anymore but nail salons, and does no one think it is strange that there are so many chinese men who are doing nails... secondly has nobody thought it strange that they can afford to open salons in city centres, when rent and rates are so high.... one being in stratford high street, stratford upon avon, midlands. which boasts huge rents and rates, now i do nails in half an hour and run my own salon, i would never be able to afford these rents. could money laundering be involved....god forbid...am i aloud to say that... maybe no one has thought about it...but what a great way to get rid of 70.000 in rent and rates alone. and all there nsalons will have a sign saying cash only

anyway food for thought!

I think the media coverage is all good. I have done a gel and acrylic nail course and got a certificate on the same day that I can get insurance to do nails, only common sense and a sense of decency tells me that I couldnt possibly open a salon and butcher peoples nails, as for the chinese people, I think they can get spots in town centres because they actually have most of the of the custom for nails, the one in my town, every single one of my friends go there, and because they are so fast at nails, they do make their profits to cover the rent..the acrylic/gel nail industry is massive as it is a service provided to people of all ages and not everybody has the time and money to go places more expensive. I dont think it is only the chinese who are putting people at risk, but also over confident people who pay a fortune for a one and two day course. I personally think that beauty/nail salons should be subject to random inspections...that goes for british owned chinese owned and any other ethnicity owned salons, as there are a lot of dodgy salons around.

Defo agree with a lot of whats been said.

Should we be licensed and regulated - YES.

We are not an office selling double glazing, or a clothes or shoe shop. We work on the human body, using a variety of flammable and toxic chemicals and we have the easiest entry levels possible - I.E we don't actually have to be qualified to open a salon and start trading. Doctors, Dentists, Opticians, Chiropodists (I think), and I think also Chiropractors are all regulated. The food we eat in restaurants and take outs has been hopefully inspected for problems and should a complaint be made this is logged with the council to monitor.

It amazes me that an asian male can go into a hairdressing supplies shop and purchase 3 litres of acetone and peroxide and be arrested as unusual activity (which by the way is what one of the london bombers did). Yet we can do the same and no one cares about how this stuff capable of making explosives is handled so carelessly! I don't care who you are or what background you have or your intentions using the stock purchased but surely there should be some form of monitoring? Chemists purchasing chemicals have to go through some rigourous checks, we don't.

And where do all these unused chemicals go? I know of loads of salons that pour unused acylic liquid/peroxide or acetone (to their plumbings detriment) down the sink!

How many salons actually really sterilse to a good enough standard. How many wash their hands before and after a client or even change the towels on the bed?

As an ex salon owner who always checked out other salons to see the competition was always surprised at the dirty wax pots, the therapists that handled cash off their last client then did my brows, or see them using the same foot rasp on different clients !

The companies that can also stop this often choose to ignore it all for the sake of sales. In a cut throat industry someone will sell to them regardless so the companies view is it may as well be them - you can't blame them as there is no incentive to make them think.

For example I have opened several trade accounts over the years with skin care, wax, nails, machine companies etc and not one person in that time has ever asked me if I am qualified - or if they did - ask me to prove it!

I see the price of treatments go down not up as those with true qualifications and client care try to stay alive amongst unscrupulous traders.

I have been for all therapists, nail techs etc to be licensed for years its the only way we can get rid of the poorly qualified/unqualified therapists and enable us to finally raise our prices and the standards.

If we can register and licence gasmen and electricians why the hell not therapists!?!

Faith will then be reinstalled with us. To do nothing is far worse. I doubt we will lose out over the industry being regulated as I think we can omly ever gain from it.

As with anything the only people who are bothered are those that think they will lose out and be made to gain proper qualifications or have a career change!

Just remember this thread is actually over 12 months old!

lol! Never saw that bit! x