Wax pot cross infection question

[fozzyo]

Just remembered I had a client who had PHD waxing once and noticed there was a pubic hair on the roller the therapist tried to put on her leg. Do you use a new tube each time otherwise surely skin and hair debris may roll back into the tube on the roller. At least with a spatula you can see there is no hairs on it before you place it back in the pot!

For the PHD system a new "head" is used for each client. The head also contains a handy one-way valve so once the wax has left the tube and gone into the head it can't go back thus ensuring no contamination in the tube.

For me when I use my hard wax I always use one spatula per dip. The spatula's aren't expensive, 15 spatulas for a treatment could cost 13.2p. This is more expensive then just using a few spatula's - but with some clever marketing on hygiene and quality of process used to wax you could maybe give yourself the competitive edge on your competition.

Mat xx

 

[Kooky]

OMG! I am quite honestly shocked! I really am not trying to offend anyone, but these are my views. I can not believe that in this day and age people are STILL waxing unhygienically. Aids and the like are transmitted sexually and through blood, which is occasionally present when waxing. With the heat of the wax all the pores on the skin open up, allowing any contamination in to the skin, ok it might not be aids, but who knows what people have it could be anything.

I religiously use a new spatuala every dip, i snap my spatulas in half to be more economic. I only use hot wax for u'lip bikini and u/arm, so i think it is absolutely necessary to wax like this in these areas. Spatulas don't cost anything, i value my clients health more than a few extra euros.

People still wishing to use p+s for all areas (although i think everyone should change to a phd or abc system) should realise the only way to be hygienic is to use a new spatuala every dip. As for the roller system, the wax can flow back, and i will never be convinced otherwise.

I think everyone who waxes really needs to wise up to the dangers, and not turn a blind eye. Your clients will thank you for it.

 

[JudithW]

Just remembered I had a client who had PHD waxing once and noticed there was a pubic hair on the roller the therapist tried to put on her leg. Do you use a new tube each time otherwise surely skin and hair debris may roll back into the tube on the roller. At least with a spatula you can see there is no hairs on it before you place it back in the pot!

It sounds like the therapist was reusing the applicator. PHD applicators are disposable and come sealed in a plastic bag that you should open in front of the client. The wax cannot flow back once it has left the tube due to the construction of the applicator.

Kooky: "I think everyone who waxes really needs to wise up to the dangers, and not turn a blind eye. Your clients will thank you for it."

I agree. I´d rather be accused of overkill than put anyone´s health at risk even if the risk is small.

 

[Kooky]

I agree. I´d rather be accused of overkill than put anyone´s health at risk even if the risk is small.

Hooray! :lol: So i'm not alone, phew, I feel slightly less obsessed now! :hug:

 

[Ruby]

You Have to use a new spatula with each dip of the wax you ca not re use the same spatula .
HEPATITIS is on the increase it CAN survive OUTSIDE of the body as can a whole host of other viruses and bacteria.
It is a condition of The Guild Of Professional Beauty and other insurers you would be breaking the rules if you double dip so you will not be insured.Also Habia state that you must not double dip.
By double dipping you would be introducing skin cells ,blood serum, hair and bacteria and viruses into the wax pot

You really must make sure that your clients and you are safe

Ruby

 

[Brandywine]

I use the pHd system mostly, so its a new applicate for every client. I chose this method for its cleanliness and speed (although I know it doesn't suit everyone). When I do use hot wax (usually on the face or bikini line) I don't re dip, just to be on the safe side, but I'm not using many spatulas for these areas so its not a problem. I also wear vinyl disposable gloves which probably isn't necessary but I just feel happier doing it that way.

 

[Axiom]

You Have to use a new spatula with each dip of the wax you ca not re use the same spatula .
HEPATITIS is on the increase it CAN survive OUTSIDE of the body as can a whole host of other viruses and bacteria.
It is a condition of The Guild Of Professional Beauty and other insurers you would be breaking the rules if you double dip so you will not be insured. Also Habia state that you must not double dip.
By double dipping you would be introducing skin cells ,blood serum, hair and bacteria and viruses into the wax pot

You really must make sure that your clients and you are safe

Ruby

Actually Habia are remarkably woolly about double dipping. Their Code of Practice for Waxing Services only states that a new spatula must be used for each new client, where blood spotting has occurred, or when going over an area that has already been waxed. Aside from that, they actually state "the risk of cross-infection from re-dipping a spatula into the same wax pot used for more than one client is small" although they do acknowledge that "industry techniques and views on waxing hygiene are changing." (Code of Practice for Waxing Services, p.10)

Double dipping was a hotly debated topic when they put the Code out for consultation at the beginning of last year, and there were so many conflicting views that it seems they eventually went for a middle ground. I'm not saying they were right or wrong to do so, but it's interesting to note that they are actually more strict over the use of gloves than they are with spatulas!

 

[BABSann]

Actually Habia are remarkably woolly about double dipping. Their Code of Practice for Waxing Services only states that a new spatula must be used for each new client, where blood spotting has occurred, or when going over an area that has already been waxed. Aside from that, they actually state "the risk of cross-infection from re-dipping a spatula into the same wax pot used for more than one client is small" although they do acknowledge that "industry techniques and views on waxing hygiene are changing." (Code of Practice for Waxing Services, p.10)

Double dipping was a hotly debated topic when they put the Code out for consultation at the beginning of last year, and there were so many conflicting views that it seems they eventually went for a middle ground. I'm not saying they were right or wrong to do so, but it's interesting to note that they are actually more strict over the use of gloves than they are with spatulas!

hallelujah,on the double dipping not so much on the gloves Andy,I do NOT see the need other than if you are actually touching blood spotting areas:eek or if doing intimate waxing again due to blood spotting and for clients comfort although personally I would prefer never to wear them as they are a damned nuisance tbh.I do like a bit of a barrier though when doing certain areas:lol:This is my own opinion though and each to their own.

 

[pazzy]

I had been trained in pot & spatula for over 15 years now - so I bought a phd thinking I am ahead of the game and this method of waxing is the way to go.

For me - it was a pain in the arse.

But then I got to thinkng...how much wax actually touches the cleansed skin?

Between the layer of wax and spatula - there is very little contact at all. And obviously there is nobody who would wax OVER the blood spotting.

If you apply all of the wax to the whole of the leg - THEN remove the strips THEN the wax has not come in contact AT ALL with any blood, sweat, dead skin because it was applied at once then removed.

Is this making any sense?

What if there was a better pre cleanser that allowed the skin to stay sterile for longer? This would eliminate the skin contact issue.

 

[weezie]

Still wondering about my drizzling question please.

 

[BABSann]

Still wondering about my drizzling question please.

Ok wrote something then deleted as thought about it a bit more,the spatula that you are using to aply the wax with would NOT have any wax left on it after you have applied to the area,therefore no wax should in theory drip back into the wax pot.

We were taught to hold the spatula over the pot so any drips(which should only come from the spatula that hasn't been applied to the skin,can drip back into the pot.However I would think that there are times that the odd drip does end up back in the pot,for instance if it drips off of the spatula that hasn't come into contact with skin,then onto other spatula then off into the pot,it's kind of dragging the bacteria or whatever other nasties back into the pot.

Hope I havn't confused anyone lol.xx

 

[fozzyo]

Doesn't the drizzling technique slow down the whole treatment?

 

[weezie]

Ok wrote something then deleted as thought about it a bit more,the spatula that you are using to aply the wax with would NOT have any wax left on it after you have applied to the area,therefore no wax should in theory drip back into the wax pot.

Thanks for the reply Babsann,

Holding the spatula over the pot to drizzle would be my reason for saying if your drizzling it's no safer than dipping it back in, as either dipping or drizzling the spatula used will have some wax go back in the pot as there is always residue on the spatula, which may be pulled back in when the new wax being drizzled runs down the non diping spatula. Hope that makes sense. My belief though is that the wax left on the spatula that has been used on the legs for example has not touched the skin as the wax that touches the skin stays on the skin.

I wish someone would actually do some science experiments with this. Something tells me the reason they haven't is because there is no risk. I am happy to wax my legs with the same wax pot I use on my clients as I am confident that there is no cross-contamination. I would definately change my practices if I saw evidence convincing me otherwise.

:hug:

 

[JudithW]

Here is a quote from the Observer article from Feb 2000 that PHD used to use in its publicity - it doesn´t seem to be available online anymore and I can´t be bothered typing out the whole article:
-----------------------------

"...the alarm was raised last month when environmental health officers inspecting beauty salons in London were shocked to find that one in four samples of wax examined was contaminated. ...

....When the wax cools, it is pulled off wich can cause bleeding. Even if the skin is not broken, serum from the pores is likely to be released...

....Sometimes the spatula which often has particles of blood or hair on it, its dipped back into the wax, causing potential contaminsation for the next client...

...Norman Noah, a consultan epidemiologist at the Government´s Public Health Laboratory..said "there is a definite risk of transmitting disease through heated wax treatment if it is used again or if equipment is not properly cleaned."
---------------------------------------

So, the jury is still out on the hygiene issue and as long as it is, I´m happy to err on the side of caution.

 

[BABSann]

Here is a quote from the Observer article from Feb 2000 that PHD used to use in its publicity - it doesn´t seem to be available online anymore and I can´t be bothered typing out the whole article:
-----------------------------

"...the alarm was raised last month when environmental health officers inspecting beauty salons in London were shocked to find that one in four samples of wax examined was contaminated. ...

....When the wax cools, it is pulled off wich can cause bleeding. Even if the skin is not broken, serum from the pores is likely to be released...

....Sometimes the spatula which often has particles of blood or hair on it, its dipped back into the wax, causing potential contaminsation for the next client...

...Norman Noah, a consultan epidemiologist at the Government´s Public Health Laboratory..said "there is a definite risk of transmitting disease through heated wax treatment if it is used again or if equipment is not properly cleaned."
---------------------------------------

So, the jury is still out on the hygiene issue and as long as it is, I´m happy to err on the side of caution.

I have to say though Judith that if there were risk of cross contamination then where are all the clients who have caught the nasty diseases from these potentially lethal wax pots?

Why hasn't it become a definate no no with Habia?The simple reason must be that there is NO conclusive evidence to really prove that our wax pots contain anything other than wax(well hopefully anyway)

In a country where H&S has gone quite frankly way OTT I am sure that the practice of re dipping spatulas would have been a categoric no,no and we all would have heard about it by now be it from the victims of the wax pot lurgy or the governing bodies who decide the guidelines.JMHO:green:

 

[angel fingers]

Still wondering about my drizzling question please.

i think the same as you, if it dribbles of the reused spatula and back in the pot, you might as well be redipping.

also i think the time it takes to faff around drizzling it on to the spatula would probably outweigh the cost of using extra spatulas at about 1p each.

 

[gillian w]

Here is a quote from the Observer article from Feb 2000 that PHD used to use in its publicity - it doesn´t seem to be available online anymore and I can´t be bothered typing out the whole article:
-----------------------------

"...the alarm was raised last month when environmental health officers inspecting beauty salons in London were shocked to find that one in four samples of wax examined was contaminated. ...

....When the wax cools, it is pulled off wich can cause bleeding. Even if the skin is not broken, serum from the pores is likely to be released...

....Sometimes the spatula which often has particles of blood or hair on it, its dipped back into the wax, causing potential contaminsation for the next client...

...Norman Noah, a consultan epidemiologist at the Government´s Public Health Laboratory..said "there is a definite risk of transmitting disease through heated wax treatment if it is used again or if equipment is not properly cleaned."
---------------------------------------

So, the jury is still out on the hygiene issue and as long as it is, I´m happy to err on the side of caution.

You've got to be a pretty mucky therapist to have hairs and blood in your wax.. yuck .Though im sure there are places that dont follow any hygiene rules.
Would be handy to have clearer guidelines but i don't think one dipping is the way to go.
I think eventually ordinary strip wax and spatula will go as more salons use rollers or tube methods to protect themselves and their clients.

 

[weezie]

Here is a quote from the Observer article from Feb 2000 that PHD used to use in its publicity - it doesn´t seem to be available online anymore and I can´t be bothered typing out the whole article:
-----------------------------

"...the alarm was raised last month when environmental health officers inspecting beauty salons in London were shocked to find that one in four samples of wax examined was contaminated. ...

....When the wax cools, it is pulled off wich can cause bleeding. Even if the skin is not broken, serum from the pores is likely to be released...

....Sometimes the spatula which often has particles of blood or hair on it, its dipped back into the wax, causing potential contaminsation for the next client...

...Norman Noah, a consultan epidemiologist at the Government´s Public Health Laboratory..said "there is a definite risk of transmitting disease through heated wax treatment if it is used again or if equipment is not properly cleaned."
---------------------------------------

So, the jury is still out on the hygiene issue and as long as it is, I´m happy to err on the side of caution.

I am sure the inspectors just looked in the wax pot and saw bits floating around rather than took it off for examination! as Gillian said you'd have to have no level of hygene to do that.

We do not go over the "serumy" area again with the spatula it would have to be oozing all over the leg.

Anyone in their right mind would not redip a hairy spatula, once again you would have needed to go over an area twice.

Norman Noah's comment is not in context, we do not know what she was asked. Yes if you re-use hot wax it would be dangerous, is this what he is talking about when he says "if it is used again" it is not clear whether he means the wax or the spatula" and dirty equiptment does he mean tweezers or equiptment in general which would also cover roller systems.

I understand why PHD have picked out this comment to scare us all into buying their product. :lol: Spatula companies should jump on the band waggon telling us the dangers of double dipping!

 

[pazzy]

Well I was certainly frightened into purchasing a phd wax system.

If you train in it from the start of your waxing career then its great to use.

But although the heads dont allow the wax to go back into the tube - but then the heads will still have this so called serum on which unless the head is changed per area then potential infections from one part of the body can be transferred to another.

Just a thought.

 

[gillian w]

Well I was certainly frightened into purchasing a phd wax system.

If you train in it from the start of your waxing career then its great to use.

But although the heads dont allow the wax to go back into the tube - but then the heads will still have this so called serum on which unless the head is changed per area then potential infections from one part of the body can be transferred to another.

Just a thought.

But then you have to have an infection in the first place and we can all see that and you wouldnt treat.Cleaning with alcohol solution cleans the skin,its all ifs and buts and maybes and as you say scaremongering.PHD use that little gremlin thing don't they.
We as people are exposed to surface bacteria from other peoples skin all day long if things were that easily tranfered or if there were that many people carrying all these terrible germs we would all be a right scabby lot.
Health and safety need to issue some proper sensible guidelines and concentrate on the hospitals.