Quats or properly named quaternary ammonium compounds are pretty useful disinfectants in the salon. The word quaternization is a term of chemistry.has to do with the way atoms are bound, so there are a large number of compounds that can be called quaternary compounds.
Because there are so many possible compounds that can be referred to as quaternary.there can be very different levels of effectiveness.some will take care of nearly all bacteria, including spores.some won't. Some will work against enveloped virii..some won't. Some will be corrosive on your sharps.some won't. There are a lot of disinfectants available to us as nail techs. All of them have different "kill levels" and all of them have very specific instructions for dilution and use. My very best advice is to READ THE LABEL!!! I would bet you pounds to pennies there is a clear indication that quats should NOT come into contact with skin. The directions on each disinfectant will apply to that product and should be KNOWN and FOLLOWED. Using the products outside of the directions can subject you to law suits!!!! Never mind the possibility of damage to your skin/body/lungs/ etc.!!! It's VERY important that as professionals we have correct knowledge of the products we use. In fact, take a look at a very common product we all have in our homes, and most likely in our salons: how many of you have actually read the fine print on your chlorine bleach bottles? Did you know the label says "avoid contact with skin"? That if it comes into contact with skin you are directed to "Rinse skin immediately?...for 15-20 minutes?" And to avoid breathing the vapors? Did you know that all uses indicate a dilution of bleach, not straight usage? Did you know that cold water is the most effective medium for bleach since as the water temp increases, the effectiveness of bleach reduces? Not to mention, adding bleach to hot water can make it easier to inhale vapors due to the steam? Did you know that chlorine bleach produces a strong oxidation effect and therefore it makes bleach very easy to combine with other chemicals to create incredible toxins? Did you know that bleach is considered a POISON??? We all have to understand and accept responsibility for our actions as professionals. Rather than arguing with the 20-year veterans in the salon, I would simply read the labels, mention that you are going to follow the directions for use and suggest they might want to read up themselves.and that just because something was acceptable a couple decades ago doesn't mean that now that we know more we can't change our ways. Hope this helps some of you who are struggling with dilemmas about what to do in your salons! Best wishes, Karen Key west --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/NailTech?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
