Modes of contamination Always assume your clients, co-workers, and the salon environment may be contaminated. Diseases are communicable or contagious when they move from one individual to another. Working with the public means encountering potentially dangerous pathogens and opportunistic organisms. Always assume your clients, co-workers, and environment could be carrying illness, and use proper infection control procedures, or standard precautions, every day . Humans have some level of immunity against infection, but our level of protection varies with age, health, and a range of other factors. Skin is our first line of defense. When there are no cuts or scrapes, skin is excellent protection against pathogens. In the vast majority of cases, bacteria, fungi, and viruses enter the body through the portals of the nose and mouth, small tears or openings in the skin, and to a lesser extent, the eyes and ears. Once inside the body, the pathogen reproduces rapidly at a rate that can overwhelm the immune system, resulting in disease. Transmission may occur through “ direct ” or “ indirect ” contact. For example, indirectly inhaling contaminated droplets in the air (airborne transmission) or touching a contaminated surface and then touching one’s nose, eyes, or mucous membranes is an easy way for transmitting germs. Try to avoid touching your face during the day, and always wash your hands between clients. On the other hand, yeast, scabies, lice, and many skin infections do not require an open sore or mucosal surface to infect. For example, athlete’s foot contaminates through indirect transmission. When someone with athlete’s foot walks barefoot on a wet bathroom floor, the person leaves behind spores that will stick to the foot of anyone else walking barefoot on that floor, infecting the individual even if they have no cuts or openings on the feet. Fungi like athlete’s foot will survive for some time on a damp or wet floor. Spa shower stalls and soaking baths that retain small amounts of water must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with the appropriate disinfectant.
Humans are excellent sources of contamination because we are constantly leaving organic particles behind wherever we go; a mixture of dead skin cells with viral, bacterial, and fungal particles, along with other microorganisms that consume skin cells or use us to travel to an appropriate host . Every time you touch something, you deposit some of this organic matter on another surface. Simple actions – such as touching a client’s hair, brushing some of your hair out of your eyes with your hand, or touching a spray bottle – can move microorganisms from one item to another: from you to your client or from your client to you. Individuals who are susceptible to infection (due to a compromised protection system or some failure in their ability to resist invasion) are also the targets of opportunistic microorganisms. In contrast to pathogens, opportunistic organisms do not cause initial illness but will infect an individual once pathogenic organisms have already weakened the immune system. These opportunistic organisms cling to the skin and the hair and exist in the bodies of healthy people. Microbes also contaminate ventilation systems . Germs in a ventilation system easily spread throughout a salon – landing on people, surfaces, and implements – whenever the blowers or fans turn on. Germs not only float through the air, settling constantly on salon surfaces such as sinks and countertops, but they can also “hitchhike” on human skin, hair, and clothing, contaminating anything with which they come into contact. To discourage their growth, vents, filters, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers should be cleaned and maintained regularly. Investigate any mildew or musty odors, which are a good indication of microbe growth. Pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms are able to thrive in a salon’s warm, moist places, like shampoo sink drains, footbaths, and hot and cold-water handles and taps. Implements such as scissors, files, brushes, or nippers can be major sources of contamination because they often contain organic matter, an optimum growth environment for pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms. Some of the most dangerous areas in salons are the places contaminated manicuring tools or equipment are kept, including the manicure table and the trash cans in which dirty implements are deposited. Microbes can even exist on seemingly unlikely products, like bars of soap . Because germs and other microorganisms have been shown to thrive on bar soap, many salons prefer to use liquid soap that can be dispensed from a container for each customer. In addition, soaking solutions, lotions, and creams that initially are uncontaminated may lose preservatives that keep them safe from pathogenic or opportunistic microbes growing in them. Changes in color, texture, appearance, or odor can be signs of contamination. Fighting infection may be a matter of staying home when you are sick. Just as you should avoid working with contagious clients, you should not go to work if you have an infection, such as a bad cold or flu. Cover your mouth and nose to control pathogens escaping through sneezes and coughs. Another way to fight infection is to take care when interacting with others. For example, avoid causing wounds when working with dry of fragile skin, as tears and breaks can occur easily, even when filing nails. Always use abrasive instruments with care and a gentle touch, especially around the nail bed.
Always assume your clients, co-workers and environment could be carrying illness, and use proper infection control procedures every day.
The primary modes of travel for common contagions are : ● Unclean hands. ● Unclean implements. ● Open sores. ● Pus. ● Mouth and nose discharge. ● Shared cups or towels. ● Coughing or sneezing. ● Spitting.
Microbes can also exist on seemingly unlikely products, like bars of soap.
Pathogenic bacteria can also enter the body through : ● A break in the skin, including pimples, scratches, or cuts. ● The nose and the mouth during breathing. ● The mouth during eating and drinking.
EliteLearning.com/Cosmetology
Book Code: CFL1025
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