Infection Control and Contraindications

Infection Prevention

• Personal care and body art businesses should supply professional, competent, safe and hygienic practices in clean premises.

• Unsafe or unhygienic practices can lead to the spread of infectious diseases, which can affect the health of the client and of the operator.

• Viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV can spread by blood-to-blood contact.

• Staff need to know the precautions required for any procedure that may involve skin penetration and possible blood contamination.

  • E.g. Plucking involves using tweezers to ‘pluck’ the hairs one by one from an area. Plucking is more likely to cause bleeding due to the nature of the hair removal.

• Instruments must be cleaned and disinfected after each client. If contaminated with blood or body fluids, they should be cleaned and sterilised.

• Procedures that do not involve skin penetration may spread infections such as:

  • staphylococcal infections – for example, impetigo

  • wart and herpes viruses

  • fungal infections – for example, tinea

Types of Skin Infections

• Four different types of skin infections:

  • Bacterial skin infections

    • Often begin as small, red bumps that slowly increase in size.

    • Some bacterial infections are mild and easily treated with topical antibiotics, but other infections require an oral antibiotic.

    • Example: cellulitis – Non Contagious

  • Viral skin infections

    • A virus causes viral skin infections.

    • These infections range from mild to severe.

    • Examples:

      • shingles (herpes zoster)

      • chickenpox - Contagious

      • warts

      • measles

  • Fungal skin infections

    • Caused by a fungus and are most likely to develop in damp areas of the body, such as the feet or armpit. Some fungal infections are not contagious, and these infections are typically non life-threatening.

    • Example: athlete’s foot

  • Parasitic skin infection

    • Caused by a parasite. These infections can spread beyond the skin to the bloodstream and organs.

    • A parasitic infection is not life threatening but can be uncomfortable.

    • Examples:

      • Lice

      • Bedbugs – Non Contagious?

      • Scabies

Temporary Skin Disorders

• Contact Dermatitis - Non Contagious

• Many temporary skin conditions exist

Contraindications

• Latex – Warning

  • Latex allergy: considered a medical emergency, urgent care may be required.

  • Symptoms:

    • Rash may occur within minutes to hours after exposure to a latex product

    • Warm, itchy, red wheals at the site of contact that may take on a dry, crusted appearance with repeated exposure to latex

    • Airborne latex particles may cause cough, runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes

• Canker or Cold Sore

  • Canker - Non Contagious

    • Canker sores appear inside your mouth

    • Canker sores are not contagious

  • Cold Sore - Contagious

    • Cold sores happen outside your mouth

    • Cold sores involve a very contagious virus

• Herpes - Contagious

  • Herpes can appear in various parts of the body, most commonly on the genitals or mouth

  • Cold sores (also called fever blisters) are caused by herpes simplex virus

  • There are two types of herpes simplex virus, type 1 and type 2 (HSV1)

• Milia – Non Contagious

  • Milia are small, bump-like cysts found under the skin

  • They are usually 1 to 2 millimetres (mm) in size

  • They form when skin flakes or keratin, a protein, become trapped under the skin

  • Milia most often appear on the face, commonly around the eyelids and cheeks, though they can occur anywhere

• Moles – Non Contagious

  • When an old mole changes, or when a new mole appears in adulthood, you should see a doctor to check it out

  • Melanoma is the deadliest skin cancer, but new moles or spots may also be basal cell or squamous cell cancers

  • These usually appear in areas that are exposed to the sun, such as your face, head, and neck

• Freckles – Non Contagious

  • Freckles are small, harmless marks that appear on the skin

  • Genetics and sun exposure are the primary causes of freckles

  • Some people are more likely to get freckles than others, depending on their genes and skin type

• Melasma – Non Contagious

  • Melasma is more common in people of colour and those who tan very quickly but can occur on anyone

  • Melasma usually becomes more noticeable in the summer and improves during the winter months

  • It is not an infection; therefore, it is not contagious and it is not due to an allergy

  • More common in pregnant women (chloasma) and individuals with darker skin colour and heavy sun exposure

• Keratosis Pilaris – Non Contagious

  • Keratosis pilaris is not contagious

  • People do not give it to someone else through skin contact and do not catch it from anyone else

  • Some people are simply more prone to developing keratosis pilaris because of genetics and skin type

• Warts – Contagious

  • Warts are growths on the surface of the skin caused by human papillomavirus (HPV)

  • While usually benign, these annoying bumps are in fact contagious

  • Studies have shown that common warts (i.e. not genital warts) can be spread through skin-to-skin contact

  • However, not all strains of the virus are highly contagious

• Melanoma – Non Contagious

  • The most serious form of skin cancer, more common in fair-skinned people

  • Mole anywhere on the body that has irregularly shaped edges, asymmetrical shape, and multiple colours

  • Mole that has changed colour or gotten bigger over time. Usually larger than a pencil eraser

• Squamous cell carcinoma - Non Contagious

  • Often occurs in areas exposed to UV radiation, such as the face, ears, and back of the hands

  • Scaly, reddish patch of skin progresses to a raised bump that continues to Grow

  • Growth that bleeds easily and doesn’t heal, or heals and then reappears

• Basal cell carcinoma - Non Contagious

  • Raised, firm, and pale areas that may resemble a scar

  • Dome-like, pink or red, shiny, and Pearly areas that may have a sunk-in centre, like a crater

  • Visible blood vessels on the growth, Easy bleeding or oozing wound that doesn't seem to heal, or heals and then reappears

• Hives - Non Contagious

  • Hives rash is triggered by the release of histamine in the skin and is caused by an allergic response

  • Hives themselves are not contagious unless they contain agents such as viruses that can be transmitted from an infected individual to another

  • The vast majority of hives are not contagious

  • Itchy, raised welts that occur after exposure to an allergen

  • Red, warm, and mildly painful to the touch

  • Can be small, round, and ring-shaped or large and randomly shaped

• Actinic keratosis - Non Contagious

  • Typically less than 2 cm, or about the size of a pencil eraser

  • Thick, scaly, or crusty skin patch

  • Appears on parts of the body that receive a lot of sun exposure (hands, arms, face, scalp, and neck)

  • Usually pink in colour but can have a brown, tan, or gray base

• Rosacea - Non Contagious

  • Chronic skin disease that goes through cycles of fading and relapse

  • Relapses may be triggered by spicy foods, alcoholic beverages, sunlight, stress, and the intestinal bacteria Helicobacter pylori

  • There are four subtypes of rosacea encompassing a wide variety of Symptoms

  • Common symptoms include facial flushing, raised, red bumps, facial redness, skin dryness, and skin sensitivity

• Carbuncle - Contagious

  • A carbuncle is a cluster of boils Caused by bacterial infection, most Commonly with Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes

  • The infection is contagious and may spread to other areas of the body, or other people; those living in the same residence may develop carbuncles at the same time

  • Red, painful, and irritated lump under your skin, May be accompanied by fever, body aches, and fatigue. Can cause skin crustiness or oozing

• Herpes Simplex - Contagious

  • Red, painful, fluid-filled blister that appears near the mouth and lips

  • Affected area will often tingle or burn before the sore is visible

  • Outbreaks may also be accompanied by mild, flu-like symptoms such as low fever, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes

  • Broken/weeping skin services should be avoided

  • Disposables only

• Acne Vulgarus - Not contagious

  • Commonly located on the face, neck, shoulders, chest, and upper back

  • Breakouts on the skin composed of blackheads, whiteheads, pimples, or deep, painful cysts and nodules

  • May leave scars or darken the skin if untreated

  • Broken/weeping skin services should be avoided

  • Disposables only

• Boil - Not contagious (but the infection can be)

  • A boil is a common, painful infection of a hair follicle and the surrounding skin

  • It begins as a red lump, then fills with pus as white blood cells rush in to fight the infection

  • Good home care can often clear up a single boil, also known as a skin abscess

  • The infection inside a boil can be contagious if it is caused by a staph bacteria

  • Broken/weeping skin services should be avoided

  • Disposables

  • No makeup service

• Head Lice - Contagious

  • Head lice are small wingless biting insects which live and breed in human hair and feed by sucking blood from the scalp

  • Outbreaks of head lice are common in children in schools and institutions everywhere

  • They infest people of all socio-economic positions and age groups

  • Head lice are contagious and they commonly spread among kids who have close contact with each other

  • Lice only infect humans and they are spread by direct contact with someone who is already infected or by use of their belongings (such as hats, brushes or combs)

  • If service continues, sanitize all equipment

• Sty - Contagious

  • No makeup service

  • A sty is a small, pimple-like swelling or lump on the eyelid, usually near the eyelashes

  • A sty usually only affects one eye, and often goes away by itself without treatment

  • Sty's are caused by bacteria and are a type of abscess

• Conjunctivitis - Contagious

  • No makeup service

  • Conjunctivitis, sometimes known as ‘pink eye', is an inflammation of the lining of the eye and eyelid caused by bacteria, viruses, chemicals or allergies

  • Pinkeye that's caused by bacteria can spread to others as soon as symptoms appear and for as long as there’s discharge from the eye — or until 24 hours after antibiotics are started

  • Conjunctivitis that's caused by a virus is generally contagious before symptoms appear and can remain so as long as the symptoms last

• Impetigo - Contagious

  • No makeup service

  • Impetigo is an infection of the skin caused by bacteria

  • It is often called school sores because it is common among school children

  • Impetigo causes sores on the skin, which are usually itchy. The sores may start out as blisters that burst and become weepy, before being covered with a crust

  • After you take the medicine for least 24 hours, the impetigo isn't contagious anymore. After 3 days, the sores should begin to heal

• Vitiligo - Not contagious

  • Some chronic skin conditions are present from birth, while others appear suddenly later in life.

• Rash/Blisters - Contagious

  • No makeup service

  • Consider any raised, red or blisters on the skin to be contagious

  • A blister is a pocket of fluid between the upper layers of skin.

  • The most common causes are friction, freezing, burning, infection, and chemical burns

  • Blisters are also a symptom of some diseases

  • Can be found anywhere on the body

• Eczema - Not contagious

  • No makeup service

  • Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a rash that primarily occurs in people with asthma or allergies

  • The rash is often reddish and itchy with a scaly texture

• Bruise - Not contagious

  • A bruise is a common skin injury that results in a discoloration of the skin.

  • Blood from damaged blood cells deep beneath the skin collects near the surface of the skin, resulting in what we think of as a black and blue mark.

• Contact Lenses - Not contagious

  • A contact lens is a thin, curved lens placed on the film of tears that covers the surface of your eye. The lens itself is naturally clear, but is often given the slightest tinge of colour to make them easier for wearers to handle.

  • Today's contact lenses are either hard or soft.

  • Should be applied by an optometrist

• Psoriasis - Not contagious

  • No makeup services

  • Psoriasis is a common skin condition that can cause a scaly, itchy, red rash to form along the scalp, elbows, and joints

• Oral Thrush - Contagious

  • No makeup services

  • Oral thrush, also known as oral candidiasis, is a yeast/fungi infection of the genus Candida that develops on the mucous membranes of the mouth.

  • It is most commonly caused by the fungus Candida albicans, but may also be caused by Candida glabrata or Candida tropicalis.

• Recent Injectables, IPL Laser Surgery - Not contagious *IPL Laser *An IPL treatment uses the power of broadband light to minimize the appearance of age spots, sun spots, acne scars, rosacea, and more. *IPL treatments generally take about 20 – 30 minutes. *After the patient's face is cleaned and dried, patients will be given protective eye shields to wear during the procedure *Injectables *The key to a refreshed and youthful look is to keep it natural. As we age, we begin to lose our ability to produce new elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin. At the same time, we experience a loss of facial and lip volume.

  • No makeup service

How to handle a contra-indication

• We never diagnose or attempt to diagnose as we are not medically trained. Trying to do so will cause unnecessary stress to the client if you are wrong

• Ultimately it will be up to you if you are prepared to go ahead with the application. Weigh up all the factors and make a professional decision

• Refer your client to the appropriate practitioner – for example if it relates to the foot, refer your client to a podiatrist

• Be aware of tone of voice and what you are saying – as we do not want to make the client feel uncomfortable

• Ask questions to determine if this is in fact a contraindication