Spa Essentials & Tools

It’s one of the simplest and most important things you do each day, but it is also the most misunderstood in the industry…..Infection Control. In our world today where people are so mobile, not only within the confines of a city or state, but of the world, the concerns about improper infection control practices across all industries are growing. In particular, in the US where we have a false sense of security believing that the risks are small and that there will always be a cure, but that is not always the case. Everything from ringworm to MRSA could, and probably is, entering your business everyday and may risk making you or your customers quite ill, given the right opportunity. MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is an “equal opportunity infector” that will happily infect anyone regardless of lifestyle, sex or age and can cause illness that results in horrific scarring to amputation and can even be fatal. Most shocking is that over 75% of those infected have no idea where they contracted the bug, indicative of it’s ability to lurk just about anywhere. That said, in settings where people are in close contact with others all day, using multi-use stations or implements, the risks increase and make infection control even more important. While a case of MRSA would certainly affect your business and livelihood, consider that even something as common as ringworm could have the same effect. Ringworm, a common fungus which is easily spread is tenacious and difficult to treat once someone is infected, so although it won’t kill anyone, it could very well kill your business! These along with a number of other viruses, bacteria and fungi pose unseen threats everyday as people are generally most contagious with these illnesses before they every have symptoms. So, what can you do to protect yourself and your business? 1. Stay home when you are sick and allow customers to cancel without penalty when they are sick (as