Many Avenues for Infection
While salons and health spas provide their customers with valuable services, they present many ways to spread germs. Harmful microbes can be transferred through circulated air, surfaces, water, and salon tools. Among 120 salonsopen_in_new surveyed in Rome, 67.5% reported infections among their clients. Several studiesopen_in_new conducted in various countries found brushes, hair dryers, rollers, hairpins, and nail care tools to be sources of bacterial and fungal pathogens.
While you’ve already implemented sanitary practices in accordance with your governing body’s standards, you may be neglecting a powerful enhancement to your routine. Ultraviolet disinfection can help discourage the spread of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Many UV-C models run continuously with minimal maintenance — providing purified water, thoroughly disinfected surfaces, and safer air to breathe.
Primary Salon & Spa Microbes of Concern
The following microorganisms are the most common causes of salon, barbershop, and spa illnesses:
The Air We Breathe
As in every public place, the air in salons, barbershops, and spas is a way to transfer irritants and viruses. If proper air ventilation is not in place, there is a greater risk of customers and employees getting Strep, the flu, or other illnesses. In its position documentopen_in_new on infectious aerosols, ASHRAE supports these measures to reduce cross infection: dilution with outdoor air, filtration of indoor air, effective airflow patterns, and germicidal ultraviolet disinfection.
UV disinfection fixtures can regularly replace the air in your facility by the following means:
- By drawing in air through a filter, exposing it to UV-C lamps, and releasing it back into the room — accomplishing a certain number of room air changes every hour.
- Through projecting UV-C rays across the room’s upper air as it circulates by way of airflow patterns (a very cost-effective methodopen_in_new).
Adding UV disinfection to your facility’s air duct or air handling unit can help disinfect airstream and coil surfaces, lowering maintenance costsopen_in_new and potentially improving your HVAC system’s performance. In one extensive study, office buildings in Montrealopen_in_new experienced a 99% reduction of microbial and endotoxin concentrations after a UV-C duct system was installed. Participants also experienced less respiratory symptoms than without UV disinfection. See all air disinfection products for salons and spas below.
Salon Tools of the Trade
The key vehicles for infection in your salon or barbershop are the tools used for hair and nails — to clip, comb, shave, dry, and roll. Styling that uses a razor poses a greater contamination risk, particularly from Trichophyton fungi that cause ringworm. Three German university hospitals saw 1,915 such casesopen_in_new during 2018 and 2023 combined, providing evidence of inadequate barbershop disinfection. Effectively neutralizing microbes on these tools for each customer requires multiple steps.
If using an EPA-registered disinfectantopen_in_new solution, are you sure you’re following the product’s guidelines for minimum contact time? While autoclaves are very effective against microbes, the process is time-consuming. As shown in one studyopen_in_new, a UV-C cabinet can be the added disinfection layer you need, helping to prevent the spread of ringworm or Staphylococcus in just a few minutes. Read about our UV disinfection cabinet below.
Due to the ubiquity of microorganisms and high probability of transmission, the instruments could act as fomites even if the site is not apparently contaminated. Fomites are objects contaminated by microorganisms that may act as route of transmission of infections.
—Pathogens and Immunity Journalopen_in_new
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Plumb the Depths of Salon & Spa Surface Disinfection
As part of your standard routine, you’re already doing both cleaning and disinfecting. But even the best surface disinfection practices can leave some areas untouched or allow certain germs to survive. Yoga mats are typically used barefoot and can be havens for several bacteriaopen_in_new such as Staphylococcus or Trichophyton.
Spa treatments such as massage, aromatherapy, waxing, and facials require exposed skin, which can transfer bacteria from the skin to surfaces or vice versa. If a customer’s skin has small nicks, there is greater risk of infection. Medical spas administer certain procedures that require a higher level of disinfection — similar to a typical medical facility.
Many surfaces are touched by employees and customers daily, including countertops, manicure treatment areas, and bathroom fixtures. Get extra assurance that harmful microbes are neutralized. A portable UV sanitizer can provide direct air and surface disinfection when your salon and spa rooms are unoccupied. Read about our models below.
Waterborne Woes
Footbaths can be sources of infection, even after standard disinfection procedures, since bacteria have been known to form dense layers called biofilmsopen_in_new. One study examining salons in North Carolina found 40 casesopen_in_new of pedicure-associated Mycobacteria infections over a 4-year period. Another study found the same bacteria in 97% of footbathsopen_in_new from 18 salons in California.
Pseudomonas bacteria have been found in hydrotherapy poolsopen_in_new, while Legionella has been recovered from footbaths and saunasopen_in_new, where hot water and mist are prevalent. Adding UV water disinfection can provide much-needed protection against harmful microorganisms — whether brought in by customers or already in the water supply. Models can be installed at the point of use, for a particular faucet, or at the point of entry for an entire building. View our UV water purifiers below.
The screens and tubes of foot spas are particularly good places for the bacteria to collect and grow, often forming dense layers of cells and proteins called biofilms, which can be very hard to remove.
—EPA, Preventing Pedicure Foot Spa Infectionsopen_in_new
UV-C Products for Salons & Spas
Hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, health spas, and medical spas could all greatly benefit from UV-C Disinfection. We offer numerous solutions to address the bacterial and fungal infections that crop up in these establishments. Please see the descriptions below and download our Whitepaper PDFopen_in_new for comparison tables, UV-C doses, and helpful diagrams. Remember our specialists are ready to help you determine which products will best meet your needs. All models are made from stainless steel and the highest quality materials.
AIR & SURFCE DISINFECTION
Hygeaire®
Our Hygeaire® fixtures continuously treat circulating air as it enters the upper portion of your many salon or spa rooms. When mounted 7 feet above the floor, projected UV-C rays are kept out of the area occupied by your employees and customers. Models are low-maintenance, energy efficient, operate silently, and can be wall or ceiling mounted.
Sanitaire®
In salon and spa areas that are often crowded or have poor ventilation, our Sanitaire® models are especially useful. They accomplish room air changes by drawing in air, exposing it to UV-C rays, and filtering it back into the room. Since UV-C lamps are completely enclosed, these models run in occupied areas to protect your personnel and clients. Models are available in several different configurations to adapt to any setting.
AeroLogic®
Combat bacteria and mold spores in your air ducts before they can circulate throughout your facility. Install one or more of our AeroLogic® UV-C models to irradiate your HVAC system’s condenser coil and ducts. To get the model best suited to your salon or spa, have one of our UV application specialists calculate the approximate contact time and lamp output needed under your conditions.
SaniUV-Cube™
Our SaniUV-Cube™ UV-C disinfection cabinet is perfectly suited to disinfect all your salon and spa tools. Simply lay the items within the stainless steel chamber, shut the access door, program the timer, and let 4 high output ultraviolet lamps do their work. This medical-grade model features UV-C blocking glass and a safety switch to ensure power is disconnected if the door is opened during treatment.
Sanidyne®
Perfect for overnight use when your salon or day spa is closed to the public, UV-C light emitted from these devices will neutralize microbes in the air and on surfaces. Enhance your disinfection of high-risk areas like workstations, treatment areas, exercise rooms, and bathrooms. Carry or roll the sanitizer into the appropriate unoccupied space, post supplied caution signs, and program the timer remotely.
WATER DISINFECTION
Minipure®
The Minipure® UV-C water purifier line is compact and economical. Models install at the site of sinks, footbaths, hydrotherapy pools, and hot tubs. Disinfect water immediately before the point of use — whether for washing hair, soaking feet, or cleaning instruments. Treating 1 to 9 gallons per minute, they operate continuously and only require yearly UV lamp change.
Mighty Pure®
Treating 3 to 20 gallons per minute, our MIGHTY★PURE® product line is perfect for busy salons and barbershops, as well as health spas running any number of hot tubs, steam rooms, and small pools. Several standard features provide streamlined operation and maintenance. Available accessories, like our UV-C monitor, enhance the functionality even more.
Need help? Contact Our UV Application Specialists
We will help you determine the right products and the proper installation method, in order to provide the precise ultraviolet dosage for your needs.
Call: (631) 273-0500, Mon–Fri, 7am–6pm
Email: Sales@AtlanticUV.com
Additional Information
- Dovepress: Beauty Salons are Key Potential Sources of Disease Spreadopen_in_new
- A descriptive survey on microbiological risk in beauty salonsopen_in_new
- What’s the germiest surface at Planet Fitness, GoodLife and Anytime Fitness? (Marketplace)open_in_new
- Mycobacteria in Nail Salon Whirlpool Footbaths, Californiaopen_in_new
- Oxford Academic: Pedicure-Associated Rapidly Growing Mycobacterial Infection: An Endemic Diseaseopen_in_new
- Safety and health risk perceptions: A cross-sectional study of New Jersey hair and nail salon clientsopen_in_new
- Emergence of Trichophyton tonsurans—A Retrospective Multicentre Study of the Dermatophyte Spectrum in Germanyopen_in_new
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