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Monday, November 5, 2007
No more pedicures!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have not been to a pedicurist in ages. What was once one of life’s relaxing little luxuries has become, for me, just one more source of stress, ever since I saw that unsettling television news segment awhile back about women who’d gotten staph infections at nail salons — with painful and disfiguring consequences.
Am I being paranoid?
My fashionable friends have hinted at that. If only letting go of some vanity was all it took to protect myself from these highly contagious germs.
We’ve all been reminded of this recently, with reports of the increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a hard-to-fight infection once confined primarily to health care facilities that’s been turning up in schools and other public places. It’s been blamed for the death of a Virginia high school student a few weeks ago and has stricken a number of local students this school year, fortunately without serious effects thus far.
Going overboard on antimicrobial soaps and hand sanitizers, or taking antibiotics whether you really need them or not, is not the solution. In fact, many scientists believe it’s wearing down our immunities and making these “super bugs” all the more difficult to irradicate. But, there are a number of sensible steps you can take to protect yourself.
At the top of the list is taking charge of your personal hygiene — right down to the tip of your toes.
What are you doing to protect yourself and your family from staph infections?
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