Why do Estheticians Need to Wear Gloves?

My recent post on wearing gloves got positive support from many, thank you.  I did find it sad that one spa said they got a negative review for their technicians wearing gloves.  This shows the need for consumer education.  Maybe a little flyer or insert on your web page that explains how you are protecting clients by wearing gloves.  Feel free to use the following to promote client safety and help consumers understand why more and more estheticians are wearing gloves during services.

Gloves are often used in esthetic services to protect the client, and the technician from transmission of potentially infectious microbes (OPIM).  These tiny organisms cannot be seen by the human eye, or even with the magnifying glasses commonly found in a treatment room.  If you have ever had a manicure and noticed an irritated cuticle the next day, or had a waxing done and then experienced tiny red papules in the area, this is likely caused by those microbes.

Today's technicians are taught to practice infection control and the prevention of cross contamination.  During a wax procedure this would include wearing gloves, disinfecting the area, remove the hair and then disinfect the skin again.  Each step is an important link it preventing irritation or infection.

Any time your esthetician performs an exfoliation treatment; microdermabrasion, scrubs, galvanic, chemical peels, or ultrasonic, it can allow tiny portals in the skin to let bacteria in or out. The same is true for extraction. To protect both the client and the technician, gloves may be worn for the duration of the treatment.  It is that extra step to protect you that is important to us, your professional estheticians. Even if there is no visible openings in the skin, we do not want to risk transmitting a microbe from ourselves or any other object in the treatment room onto a "potentially" open surface.

Some states now require all technicians to wear gloves for all treatments.  They are taking a pro-active stance to prevent any possible problem.  The good news?  Today's gloves are thin, protective and have great tactile feel.  You probably won't even know your esthetician is wearing them.

Most estheticians no longer use latex gloves, but if you have a latex allergy please do bring it to their attention.  Today's gloves are generally vinyl or nytrile. They should be exam glove quality.  In the future you can expect to see more nytrile gloves in use as they are much more environmentally friendly, even though the cost of use is still more than vinyl.

Gloves - To Wear or Not to Wear

I find it amazing on the different chat rooms and boards that there are still estheticians out there who are not wearing gloves for all procedures where there may be a risk of exposure to OPIM (other potentially infectious materials). Microorganisms are too small to be seen with the naked eye, or even a traditional magnifier. Portals of exit or entry are how microbes get out of one person's skin and into another's. They too are so small they cannot be seen. They can occur from a recent manicure, injury, exfoliation, extraction or waxing. When microbe transfer occurs there is a potential for infection or the transfer of disease.

Some technicians complain they can't feel the skin when they wear gloves. Surgeons probably said the same thing when glove wearing was introduced. Now medical staff won't touch you without having a glove on. Its a learned skill and it is important to protect both the client and technician. It is not an option.

Did you know that if your state doesn't specifically call out glove wearing they may have it buried in a statement like it is the responsibility of the technician to do what is necessary to protect the client. Per federal CDC guidelines, if the state does not call out glove wearing guidelines, the CDC guidelines must be followed. Bottom line - wear gloves. Protect yourself and your clients.

If you want great tactile feel, choose nitrile over vinyl. It has a better feel and is far more environmentally friendly. Did you know there is only one country in the world that will allow the manufacture of vinyl within their borders... China. Every bit of vinyl made is made in China and their air quality is suffering from it. 

Yes, nitrile is still more expensive than vinyl, but the price is coming down.  The more people using nitrile, the more its price will drop. And, its available in fun colors like pink or purple.