Thought I would share with you an older article on the subject.
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Waxing and cross-contamination.
The recent marketing campaign of a large beauty supplier has left many therapists doubting the health
and safety of a number of tried and tested waxing methods. The FHT looks at why GOOD PRACTICE is
the key to preventing cross-contamination when waxing, and not the type of applicator
Last year, a leading beauty supplier introduced 'Captain Contamination'
to the industry - an ugly little cartoon character who can be seen on the
company's website, swimming around in wax pots and being squashed onto a hairy limb by a roll-on
applicator. The Captain's role is to apparently highlight the potential dangers of cross-contamination when
waxing. Other beauty suppliers, however, argue that the Captain is simply a marketing
tool, designed to promote (and potentially scare therapists into buying) a new product which
is claimed to be: "the ONLY waxing system in the world to eliminate the chance of cross-contamination".
But to what extent can any waxing system truly "eliminate" the chance of cross-contamination?
The importance of good practice When considering the issue of crosscontamination, it is important to remember that the therapist's attitude towards hygiene plays a very important role - perhaps one more important than that of the applicator or product itself. A waxing system only has the potential to 'eliminate' the risk of crosscontamination
if the therapist also:
wears protective gloves throughout the treatment
washes his/her hands with an antibacterial wash before and after touching the client's skin
washes his/her hands or wears new gloves before applying after-wax lotion
ensures that other items used (such as tweezers) have been properly sterilised.
If the therapist fails to carry out the precautions listed above, then the client may be at an increased risk of cross-contamination, regardless of how 'foolproof' the waxing system is claimed to be.
Different waxing systems
Today, there is a wide and almost bewildering range of waxing systems available to the professional beauty therapist, all offering a unique attribute that apparently sets them apart from the rest. However, pretty packaging and 'its-the-only-one-ofits- kind' aside, the majority of these waxing systems fall into two basic categories:
the 'wax pot' or the 'wax cartridge'.
The wax pot and spatula method
When using a standard wax pot system, the wax is taken from a pot and applied to the client with the use of disposable spatulas. In many respects, this is one of the most traditional and widely tried and tested waxing methods known to the beauty industry.
However, in recent years, the 'trusty' wax pot has received some bad publicity in terms of cross-contamination, as Ian Watson from Environmental Health (City of Westminster) explained to the FHT:
A survey within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets found that a quarter of the wax samples taken from 16 salons contained hair, blood, raised colony counts (bacteria) as well as pseudomonas species - all of which could potentially lead to crosscontamination."
It didn't take Environmental Health Officers long to determine the root of the problem: poor practice. The beauty therapists working at the 4 salons in question had been re-dipping used (contaminated) spatulas back into the wax pot - an un-hygienic practise at the best of times, but especially so when treating underarm or bikini areas that are prone to bleeding and rife with bacteria.
Environmental Health therefore underlines that therapists using the wax pot/ spatula method:
"can minimise the risk of cross-contamination by ensuring that:
spatulas are never re-dipped into the wax pot after use [e.g. after the
spatula has come into contact with the client's or therapist's skin. A new
spatula should be used every time more wax is required]
splashes or spillages of wax are cleaned up immediately after treatment and the wax heater is disinfected
hot wax is not sieved and re-heated
wax strips are treated as clinical waste
personal hygiene is maintained throughout the treatment [which
includes wearing disposable gloves]."
This is the method taught for all VTCT waxing qualifications and agrees with the Industry Code of Practice for Hygiene in Salons and Clinics, which all FHT Members receive when joining the Federation.
If preferred, therapists may wish to transfer wax from a larger pot into smaller, sterile pots. This allows the therapist to use a spatula more than once on an individual client, providing that any wax remaining in the smaller pot is disposed of after treatment.
Please note: the wax pot/ spatula method remains a safe and very effective means of removing unwanted hair, providing that the therapist is particular about hygienic practice.
The wax cartridge
Most wax cartridge systems comprise of hand-held units that have one of two types of applicator heads:
a roller head (which is replaceable or
disposable), or
a wide, flat nozzle or similar (which is
usually disposable).
Whether or not contamination can pass from the client's skin back into the wax cartridge during the course of a treatment remains a hot topic of debate. Some beauty suppliers claim that their product's applicator heads have a built-in mechanism that prevents any 'flow-back' (e.g. wax cannot re-enter the cartridge once it has been expelled). If this is the case, then any partused wax cartridges should remain contamination-free for the next client, provided that the applicator head is removed and a new and/or clean and sterile one is attached immediately after treatment. However, if therapists are in any doubt,they should use a new wax cartridge and a new applicator head for each client.
Whilst this approach might seem a little uneconomical, therapists should bear in mind that the cost of wax cartridges and applicator heads is minimal, and that their client's health is priceless.
To the best of FHT's knowledge, no independent studies have been conducted into, or raised concerns about, crosscontamination
and the wax cartridge systems outlined above (e.g. those wax cartridges that have replaceable/ disposable applicator heads). Concerns have been raised, however, about the multiple use of wax cartridges that have fixed applicator heads which cannot be replaced after treatment (e.g. single-unit applicators similar to roll-on deodorants). For this reason, cartridges with fixed applicator heads should ideally only be used to treat
one client.
Providing good aftercare advice FHT's Insurance underwriters have yet to
settle a claim - in or outside of court - arising from an incident of
cross-contamination through waxing.
When a claim involving a waxing treatment does arise, it
is usually because claimants have not followed
the aftercare advice given by the therapist. This is why it is extremely
important to provide your client with written aftercare advice.
Clients should be asked to sign a section of their consultation form to acknowledge they have received an aftercare leaflet, and that they have read and understood the content. Therapists should stress to their clients that if they do not carry through the aftercare advice given, they may develop askin infection/ reaction.
Some final pointers
Some therapists believe that the odd oversight will not matter, because
microorganisms are unlikely to survive in the wax environment. This is not necessarily the case. According to Ian Watson, "the working temperature of wax is normally in the range of 20-50°C, which is the ideal range for bacterial growth."
NO waxing system can 'eliminate' the risk of cross-infection. Any product or technique is only as good as the therapist carrying out the treatment.
http://www.fht.org.uk/Mai...BDB6468501877A861B18CD4BA
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Aftercare Instructions for Waxing
· Do - apply antiseptic cream to treated areas 3 times in the 24 hours following treatment.
· Do - if your skin feels hot after treatment, bathe with a cold salt water solution regularly in the
hours following treatment, this reduces inflammation and speeds up the healing process. (Add
half a teaspoon of salt to one cup of boiling water and chill).
· Do - apply sun block daily to prevent sunlight from interfering with the healing process for 2-3
days following treatment.
· Do - wear loose clothing.
· Do Not - expose the skin to sun, sunlight or sunbeds for 48 hours.
· Do Not - use a steamroom, sauna or any heat treatment for 24 hours.
· Do Not - have a bath or shower for 24 hours.
· Do Not - swim in chlorinated water for 24 hours.
· Do Not - do aerobics or any exercise for 24 hours.
· Do Not - apply any heat or friction to the skin whatsoever.
· Do Not - apply any moisturisers or body lotions, other than those recommended by your
therapist for 24 hours.
· Do Not - apply body sprays or deodorants or perfume for 24 hours.
· Do Not - apply talc, make up or false tan for 24 hours.
· Do Not - wear tights, leggings, or tight fitting clothing for 24 hours.
· Do Not - massage the area for 24 hours.
Most people find the hair will start to re-grow within 7-10 days following treatment. The hair needs
to be a certain length in order to successfully remove it by waxing. Allow 4 weeks before your next
treatment. Immediately after treatment, the area may be red or slightly inflamed, we apply a cooling
lotion after the treatment
