Why haven't they done anything about NSS?

[minky]

Hi, I agree with mums post about salons,
and my understanding was if a client made a complaint about a Hair salon , to health and safety , they would be onto it quite quickly to check it out and help and correct whatever the problem was ,
I am wondering how and why the health and safety can seem to be ignoring reported nail salon complaints
do you think perhaps its because the complaint needs to come from the actual clients before they will act ?

 

[Chix Nails]

Well hey there guys, I'm from Texas and it's a little different here. I like the NSS that you call "those other" salons. lol. That's a nice way to put it, here we just say "Those other salons"...........

Here in Texas there are only about 1 to 2 inspectors to every 1000 Salons in their region and we are no longer governed by the Cosmetology Commission we are now governed by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This means that the inspector they send out may have never done nails or even have a degree in Cosmetology, the inspector they send out might be licensed to do air conditioning or electrical work but he or she has been given a form and "told" what to look for and that's how salons here are inspected. I've opened my shop and was inspected when I first opened, I have never seen an inspector since then and my shop has been opened for 4 years. Another thing is that recently Texas has tried "cracking down" on these unsanitary and non licensed salons but what happens is they shut down and then reopen the same shop under someone else's name and license number. Here once you get your salon license in your hand you can open your salon, you don't have to wait for an inspection to open, you just have to have that salon owner's license in your hand.

To say that it is frustrating would be putting it mildly, so I decided to find out myself what was going on and how these people were able to make money and to offer their services so cheap. I kept thinking was it just cheap product? So I "infiltrated" a salon by getting a part time job there for the summer months last summer. At first the man that ran the salon did not want to hire me because I was english speaking but after much persuasion he agreed because he believed it would be good for business and was going to use me as a translator of sorts. Well you just wouldn't believe everything I found. First off, don't kid yourself for a second by thinking they are making so much more money than we are. There were 7 women besides myself working there and after about a month of observation I realized that they were being paid on a commission of 30 percent and they got to keep their tips. The owner and I had agreed on a 50/50 split, so I was making 20% more than they were simply because I was english speaking and wouldn't let him get that over on me. The other thing is that they work really really long hours, 12 and 13 hour days. I did feel bad sometimes after I would go home after my 8 hours, so there were a few times that I would stay and help out and they seemed to not appreciate me being there. So I asked the girl next to me and she said it was because I was taking their money and that I needed to go home. I had forgotten that they were working longer to make up for the lower commission rate.

Sanitation...........well it left alot to be desired and I constantly found myself going behind others to clean areas such as the pedi spa and actually take the filters off ......I even had to bring in my own tools to do this as they had none there ..........IT WAS GROSS....... after they saw me cleaning them the owner asked what I was doing and I told him that the rules say you have to take the filters and jet covers off and clean between each client ........he got so mad he didn't speak to me the rest of the day and only screamed what I can only imagine were expletives in his language. They really are not taught alot of the same sanitation as I was taught when I went to school and when I take classes, after showing several of the ladies they were more than happy to clean their implements better and not use things that had been dropped on the floor etc. They hated cleaning the Pedi Spa's but I explained it was a necessary evil and they did it begrudingly. The Drill was a souce of contention, I use a drill and am drill certified, but they teach each other, they have no idea what they are doing! They totally did not appreciate my help in that area either so I just left it alone. I was there three months and my time with them was an eye opening experience.

I don't condone those other salons...........I ask all my customers to be patient and I will make their wait worth their while.........but now having walked a mile in those ladies shoes that I worked with.........well I'm a little more understanding. Imagine working for a pit boss and your working working working to bring other members of your family to a better place or your working to put yourself through medical school and this is your ticket to something better, this is not a career for your, you don't love it, it's just a means to pay your way to something better........Well I guess I understand now. I love this career........I did do something else for almost 16 years and I went back to school and got my nail tech license because I love this job, I love it and I care about my clients. I do a better job because I care and there is love in everything I do. When you can show that to a client whose had another experience with other salons, they will come back to you every time, they will feel cared for and they will come back. :lol:

 

[Anne Niven]

Leeds market seems to be a place for this, tiny area, kettles, electric cables, reeks of monomer (cough) face masks and oh yes quick quick quick. Yes it's hard for those of us who take time and fork out for extra training, but it comes down to my peace of mind lol. Onwards and Upwards

 

[nail tutor]

Hi, Here in New Zealand mma is banned, however it is still used extensively in the non standard salons. Recently 2 of the Professionails nail bar chain were prosecuted for using mma - instead of paying the fine they went into liquidation!! No one knows because they didnt close, just changed owner ship! It has not been made known to the public, not reported in the local press. How fair is this? AQs you can see I am hopping mad and today I am going to make a fuss to anyone I can think of, papers, MPs, local government, etc.

 

[TweezerHappy]

Hi, Here in New Zealand mma is banned, however it is still used extensively in the non standard salons. Recently 2 of the (removed nail salon name) nail bar chain were prosecuted for using mma - instead of paying the fine they went into liquidation!! No one knows because they didnt close, just changed owner ship! It has not been made known to the public, not reported in the local press. How fair is this? AQs you can see I am hopping mad and today I am going to make a fuss to anyone I can think of, papers, MPs, local government, etc.

I got my nails done at a (removed nail salon name) in Auckland in August last year before I knew any better. Totally ruined my nails.

Just thought I'd say.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[U-neek]

Some people will be quite happy to sacrifice the health of their nails for a quick cheap treatment and then one day, when they end up with wafer thin, sore nails or a nasty injury (as one of my friends did when she caught her nail and both her NSS nail and own nail ripped off with it) or an infection ...then they either start telling their friends the horror story of what they’ve gone through and warn them off getting their nails done and so the cycle of the nail industrys bad reputation continues...or those with open minds may see if there is an alternative. Does the Nail industry badmouthing have to stay this way? My friend has refused to have her nails done since but with a lot of gentle drip feeding and showing her the evidence of my case studies she’s coming round to the idea of letting me loose on her nails ;o) and that there is ...aaaaa aaaaaah another way...

What of the people that already come to the good techs, the ones who enjoy a first class treatment from a tech who has been trained to high standards and cares for the health of their clients nails, ... they have a voice too. With no regulations in the industry... it’s been said before and I’ll add my 2p worth...it’s down to us to educate as many people as we can about what constitutes good practice and a good Nail Technician. When your client is sat there you have the golden opportunity to educate them...if you have a database of clients you can come up with ways to interact with and educate them. In your flyers and marketing you can educate them... you see where I am going. We all have access to people who can be advocates of the professional nail industry but we need to make sure we take the opportunities to pro-actively educate them. In all my leaflets I’m preparing I’ve put what to look for, questions to ask and the signs of a good tech. Once I’ve finished my NVQ (only Nail art case studies to finish now ;o) ) I will be doing my conversion courses and then setting up business properly. I aim to run a quarterly newsletter for my clients in which I will always find something to educate them about and encourage them to share with friends, I will try and tempt female journalists of local papers and magazines to get their nails done with me and “educate” them... you never know they may run a short feature etc etc...I’m still planning... ;o) I don’t know if it will work, or whether it’s been done before and I’m wasting my time, but it’s still worth a try. Every good tech has actively got to promote the good practices in the industry and educate, educate, educate.

I don’t plan to bad mouth anyone, but I will make sure all my client facing materials will have some tips in them geared towards guiding them on what to look for. If all good nail techs are constantly drip feeding and reinforcing these messages to their client base then surely that will make a dent ! Word of mouth is still pretty powerful and shifting public opinions can take a while – but if everyone makes sure they are giving out the right messages in their area then those who your message passes in front of can make a more informed choice...and you are still going to get those that opt for the cheap’n’cheerful in and out in no time NSS – then that’s what they want and if that’s what they find acceptable for their nails then maybe they weren’t the client for me. The market good techs want to reach are the clients that want beautiful, healthy nails and are willing to dedicate the time and money to it – and they will be the most loyal clients! :hug:

 

[U-neek]

:oDuh I started typing this after I read the first page of the thread and hit new reply...and now I have just noticed this is a 5 page thread ...it’s been a long day so sorry if I’ve just repeated loads of stuff ..... I’ve got a lot of reading to do...

 

[Paul Bryson]

"...why anyone hasnt done anything about NSS salons i.e shut them down?..."

It's harder than it sounds. In some places there just aren't sufficient laws, and where the laws are adequate, nowhere near enough inspectors to enforce them. It's like trying to stop the incoming tide with a bucket and shovel.

As has been pointed out earlier in the thread, even when NSS are shut down, they often reopen quickly under another name/license. Even when NSS are put out of business by lawsuits (for example, in the epidemic of horrible leg lesions in California, from filthy footspas), someone else will take up the slack when one goes out of business. It's like trying to control drug dealers (or coyotes) -- bust one, another takes over his territory right away. The niche, the habitat, is immediately refilled, because customers (or food) are there.

So the only people who can shut down the NSS are the customers. Here the problem is education. Many customers just do not know any better; they don't know it's not supposed to hurt, that rings of fire are wrong, that shaving calluses is wrong, etc. Most of all, they don't know that your place down the road is using cleaner tools, safer products, and less damaging techniques -- they only see the higher price in the window and never inquire further. They just assume it's all the same, so they go for cost. They're not stupid, they just lack information.

Eventually some of them get tired of getting hurt or infected by NSS, and they give up. I've lost count of how many people have told me, upon learning where I work, "Oh, I used to get my nails done... it hurt... I'll never do it again..." When I examine them I invariably see rings of fire or other evidence of damage (unless they quit so long ago it's all grown out). When I tell them it wasn't supposed to be this way, they are quite surprised. But, of course, they've sworn off nails and I don't think I've ever convinced one to try again. The point: Due to the damage done by the NSS, these customers are lost to the whole industry forever. They won't go back to the NSS, and they won't go to your good salon either.

So...we need to educate the customer. To this end, the Nail Manufacturers Council (NMC) has prepared a brocure, "What to Look Out for in a Nail Salon", which you can get here:

English
http://www.probeauty.org/about/committees/nmc/docs/WhatToLookNailSalon.pdf
Vietnamese
http://www.probeauty.org/about/committees/nmc/docs/WhatToLookNailSalon_VI.pdf
Spanish
http://www.probeauty.org/about/committees/nmc/docs/WhatToLookNailSalon_ES.pdf
Korean
http://www.probeauty.org/about/committees/nmc/docs/WhatToLookNailSalon_KO.pdf

Feel free to print it out and pass it around to customers or prospective customers. Also feel free to browse the other info we have on our site:
Professional Beauty Association :: Nail Manufacturers Council

Hope this information is helpful to you.

Paul

 

[yeahyeah]

this is a very interesting thread! i dont have time this morning to read through all of it, i skimmed the first couple pages and i want to offer my opinion so i appologize in advance if i say something thats already been said !
my two cents on the whole NSS issue… (and i'd like to aknowledge something geeg said earlier about American NSSs and over 70% of our licensed techs being asian… (at least over here) a monkey could get a nail technician license! its unfortunate but true. to get my license i had to take an 80 question test and pass with a 70% (not even a practical). the answers to most of the questions were common sense, heres some examples of actual questions from my original nail technician licensure exam: "AIDS is a: a. type of nail enchancement product b. virus c. south pacific island d. nail disorder… the answer was b, virus. (even though thats not even correct). another example, define exfoliate: a. to paint ones fingernails b. to shorten the length of the toenails c. to remove dry skin d. to repair a crack in an artificial nail enchancement... how ridiculous! most of the questions were general health/hygiene questions like these that everyone should know anyway.
there are several factors contributing to the problem; there's the uneducated "techs" (a similar thread on another forum recently acknowledges the fact that many NSS's are family businesses and even if the techs working in them have been to nail school and are licensed, they do things the way they've been taught by their families and many of the older ones know how to "do nails" but really have no product knowledge or sanitation training and they pass this on to their children). there are techs who know what they're doing and understand their products but who are lacking in the ethics department and take advantage of other peoples' ignorance. there are also ispectors who are just plain too lazy to do their jobs. there are schools and educators who are more concerned with turning out graduates than good nail technicians. then there are honest, educated techs like us who have to live with the consequences. What it comes down to is that there's always going to be people like this in our industry and in the whole rest of the world, they're not going away! the only thing we can do is continue to offer better work. there will always be clients who would rather pay half price for crap, but there are some who will never go back to an NSS after they see the difference. you have all the power to get them through your door. its like comparing a fast food joint with a 5 star restaurant, there really is no comparison. someone very wise once told me that you only have competition when you decide to.
Posted via Mobile Device