Seated in large, comfortable salon chairs on days off from school or work, people enjoy the luxury of a manicure or new hairstyle. Yet, customers cannot help but feel a little apprehensive and wonder, ""Have those scissors been washed?""
On Tuesday, a public safety awareness campaign concerning sanitation in beauty salons gained support from the Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing.
""Every consumer in Wisconsin has the right to receive services in a safe and healthy manner,"" the department's secretary Celia Jackson said in a statement. ""We are focused on consumer education to carry out our mission of protecting the public.""
If salons are not properly sanitized, the transmission of a variety of diseases, such as staph infection, may inevitably result.
There have been recent outbreaks in other states around the country, consisting of infections in legs, fingernails and toenails. The state's Barbering and Cosmetology Board is aiming to prevent these types of incidents from occurring in Wisconsin, according to Communication Officer Brent McHenry.
""We also want our licensees to have a clear understanding of the rules and our priority of safety and sanitation,"" Jackson said of the program's second objective.
Some Madison salons do not seem to be concerned about the campaign.
""I think it's great. I think it's important that every salon and spa is held up to the safety regulation,"" said Kelli Lovejoi-Dailey, owner of Up Spatique, the combination spa-boutique on State Street.
The Barbering and Cosmetology Board has an extensive list of rules and regulations, which the campaign intends to reinforce. After the board holds statewide information sessions, salons will be re-inspected to make sure these rules are being upheld.
The Regulation and Licensing Department is ""concerned of unlicensed activity in the state,"" and wants to ""make sure everyone is aware how important these concerns are,"" McHenry said.
A public listening session will be held March 18 in the Lowell Center in Madison.
