Manicures & Pedicures

jazzy1 said:

Interesting Topic
Laurie,

Interesting as we just brought this up at my group therapy this past Monday. I never even thought about pedicures and manicures and using your own supplies. Well when a beautician in our group told us about the pedicures and how they re-used the water, nor truly sanitized the bowels for the manicures, I know why I do it myself. The germs are just floating and no one stops them with anti-disinfectants...so it spreads. We as cancer patients in treatments can't afford to get sick.

Suggestion was to bring your own supplies, but then you have to assume the person doing the procedure has clean hands too. Sounds to me like a room loaded with germs and in today's world none of us needs to add more issues to our already challenging cancer diagnosis.

Just my thoughts....
Jan

aprillorey said:

No mater where u go i would
No mater where u go i would be careful if your undergoing treatment i would not do this now im new to the cancer as u no and just under went the sugery and soon to undergo Raditation well after i was told i had cancer we was at walmart and i watched ( this is not a joke either ) as a random guy picked his butt then he picked somthing up in the food part looked at it and put it down walked off i was so sick to my tummy at how much germs is in our stores we dont no about i get sick easy as it is anyways so of course it made me sick

i also saw a little kid lick a cuecumber and place it back and the mother was just fine with it didnt say a word

again making me sick the store manger didnt do nothing about it and left the items there

we turly most be careful if we go any where i would always take hand stuff with u and make sure you use it i went out tonight and feel very much sick

its up to you but i dont think i would do it just yet unsure if u have your own stuff

one ideal is have a friend come over and do it for you ? thats just an ideal that way u can control her washing her hands and no all the stuff is yours and cleaned

god bless hun

Northwoodsgirl said:

Stories
I believe everything you have said about the grocery store scenarios. I am alway suspicious of meats that are covered with sauces (repurposed meat I call it.) Another germy place is airplanes...tray tables. I carry GERM-X prepackaged hand sanitizers with me everywhere and wipe down everything. I still do this and I am 3 months post treatment.
Oh yes, and the grocery store cart handles! We definatley live in a hostile environment which we take for granted when we have well functioning immune systems. Thanks for the wisdom.
Lori

CompassionateBeauty said:

YES You Can, Carefully
Hello,

I know the post was a while ago but I wanted to leave a comment in case you (or others) are still curious about this. I work for Compassionate Beauty, (www.compassionatebeauty.com). We are a Canadian company that specializes in improving the self-image of women undergoing cancer treatment -- among the things we offer is aesthetic services (manis, pedis, facials) that are safe during treatment. I would recommend that you do a DIY mani/pedi, but if you are insistent on going to get the spa experience, go to a spa with a high standard of cleanliness and ask your aesthetician to NOT cut your cuticles. This is the part of the process that leaves you most susceptible to infection -- and the part of a mani/pedi that we do not perform as a standard in our workplace. Feel free to email other questions and I can do my best to answer them. Hopefully one day we can help bring our spa to women in America as well.

All the best to you,
Jessica
jessica@compassionatebeauty.com

JoAnnDK said:

the "book"
At Hopkins, chemo patients go to a class prior to starting chemo. My daughter and husband attended with me. I got a huge notebook with specific instructions of what not to do during treatment when one's immune system is so compromised.....and what to do, as well. Also, food suggestions and practical ideas.

Here are just a few of the limitations:

no fresh fruits or vegetables, especially berries. Canned/jarred fruits were okay, or cooked veggies
limited time around other people, especially in stores
no fresh flowers or houseplants (or gardening)
no manicures or pedicures
no massages (and my massage therapist would not do one, anyway)
no picking up pet waste

I was told that I could have a mani or pedi a month after my last treatment, and a gentle massage as well. I go to a nail salon that is meticulously clean. In fact, I was there this morning. With neuropathy as bad as mine, I really need someone else to take care of and check my feet.

During treatment, I treated my self once a week to a visit to my library. The library keeps track of their peak attendance times and I was able to get that info and time my trips for when attendance was low and there were no children's programs. After getting books, I would go home and wipe them down as well as possible.

I found that Clorox wipes were my best friends.