Interesting, I myself would still think twice though as I hve no experience with that, as I have always turned it away....
Just a thought, do you wear something to cover your mouth when performing feet? I somewhere read that you could get fungal infection in your lungs if you breathe in the dust from the toenails with a fungal infection, I don't know if it's actually true? Would be nice to know...
It seems a bit scary, now that I think of it (and was a bit freaked after one Dr House fungus in the nose episode, but then again, that scenario was made to make Dr House glorious :green
The most common fungus that attacks feet is tinea pedis and yes, it can spread around easily, but the odds it goes into your lungs or blood... so I wouldn't go that far and panick. Because:
Fungus is literally everywhere, but only if you're in bad luck :green: or have body conditions that make you easily get it. That refferes to weak immunity caused by illness of some kind, or simply being very depressed/stressed.
Otherwise we would all have fungus! Shoe stores, spas, pools, not to mention locker rooms, hospitals, and anywhere where people go bare footed and there is moist. And yet, we don't get fungus, even though we all find ourselves at such places.
My tutor has 48 years of experience dealing with feet, fungus, warts, you name it. And yet she never did catch anything, nor she wears mask. We're talking chiropodist's pedicures. And she does pedicures with clients feet on the towel on her lap, and that's the way she taught me.
Important thing is to disinfect everything of course, but while working, protect yourself - if you have open wounds, wear gloves (otherwise I don't) and watch that nothing goes to your feet or under your nails. Since client's feet are really close to my face, I must admit I breath carefully through my nose, but not in some panic manner, iykwim...
The main problem, from my experience, is that fungus doesn't hurt (at early stages, afterwards it can cause nail disfiguration, or starts itching in athletes foot case). Most of the women wear their polish and rarely see their nails 'naked' to see any changes. And when I do mention fungus, some of them really get insulted, because they think that only 'dirty people' get fungus, or just say yes, and want polish again to hide it. And that's so wrong... and when few of those came again and again and did nothing about their fungus, I did show them horrid pictures of old fungus and said - that's what you'll get in few months :green: and they all ran away and got medical help and after some time - nails were clear :green:
I deal with fungus infected toes very often, but then again, I'm trained and allowed to.
But if someone doesn't feel confident, or his stomack goes up, then s/he might as well refuse it, and that's much easier in your countries, because, as I gathered, there are strick distinctions between salon pedicures and chiropodist's work. So it's ones personal choice and one can easily point that client to someone else.
hth
