Do we use sterilized instruments? Yes!
We take great care to make sure that any instrument that either contacts or cuts into your skin or nail is sterilized. We make sure both of our offices sterilizes any instruments used on your feet such as clippers, files, probes and scissors. Autoclaving (sterilizing under high pressure using hot steam) is the only sure way to sterilize instruments.
- Before our instruments are autoclaved we place the instruments in an ultrasonic bath to clean any debris in the crevices or grooves of the instruments.
- After the ultrasonic cleaning, the instruments are placed in sealed autoclave envelopes that have a coloured marker that changes colour when the autoclaving is successful.
- Our autoclave bags have a pink square that turns brown with successful autoclaving.
- We routinely check to see if the autoclave will kill bacteria by running a small sealed test tube that contains bacteria. After this test tube has run through the autoclave we will put it in an incubator for 24 hours to see if it will grow bacteria. If the test tube grows bacteria it will change colour.
- In both of our offices, the autoclaves are maintained on a monthly basis.
Soaking instruments in a disinfectant is not a guaranteed way to kill nail fungus or bacteria.
You will notice that our office opens a sterile bag of instruments for every patient every time right in front of you, the patient.
