7.4 Add-On Services: Paraffin, Exfoliation & Thermal Treatments

Add-on services turn a basic manicure or pedicure into a spa service. They also bring hazards that don't exist in a basic service: heat, stronger products, and more items that can carry germs from one client to the next. For the theory exam, know each add-on's purpose, contraindications, procedure order, and sanitation.

Paraffin Wax Treatments

Paraffin is a petroleum-based wax, often blended with mineral oil, that melts at a low temperature. It is kept in a thermostatically controlled heater, and a wax coating traps the skin's heat and moisture. Clients with dry skin or stiff, achy joints often enjoy it. Professional paraffin heaters commonly hold treatment wax at about 125 to 130°F (about 52 to 54°C). Always follow your heater manufacturer's settings.

Contraindications

Do not use paraffin, or get physician approval first, if the client has:

• reduced sensation in the hands or feet, such as diabetic neuropathy;
• impaired circulation or vascular disease;
• open cuts, abrasions, rashes, warts, or inflamed skin;
• heat sensitivity or a condition or medication that makes heat risky;
• skin that is thin, fragile, or easily burned, common in older clients.

Procedure (Dip Method)

1. Consult the client and inspect the skin. Confirm there are no contraindications.
2. Make sure the client's hands or feet are clean and sanitized. The skin going into the wax must not carry soil or germs into the supply.
3. Test the wax on your own inner wrist. It should feel warm, not hot.
4. Apply lotion or a treatment product if your procedure calls for it.
5. Have the client dip the hand, fingers slightly apart, into the wax for a few seconds, lift it out, and let the layer set briefly. Repeat for three to five dips to build an even coating. Do not let the fingers touch the bottom or sides of the heater.
6. Wrap the hand in a plastic liner and cover it with a clean terry mitt or towel to hold in heat.
7. Leave it on for about 5 to 10 minutes, or as your product directs.
8. Remove the mitt and liner. Peel the wax away from the wrist toward the fingertips, and discard the used wax in a covered trash receptacle.
9. Massage any remaining product into the skin. Clean the nail plates of wax and oils before polish.

Keeping Paraffin Sanitary

• Never return used wax to the heater.
• Many salons avoid dipping altogether. They dispense single-client wax by ladling or brushing it onto the skin, or by pouring wax into a single-use bag the client's hand goes into. Several states' rules require paraffin to be dispensed so the unused supply is not contaminated.
• Keep the heater covered when not in use. Change and clean it as the manufacturer directs.
• Launder mitts and towels after each client, or use disposable liners and booties.

Timing within the service: paraffin is commonly applied after massage product in a spa manicure or pedicure. Some procedures place it earlier to soften the skin. Wherever it goes, remove all residue from the nail plates before polish so the polish adheres.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation removes dead cells from the outermost layer of skin, the stratum corneum, leaving skin smoother and ready for lotion.

• Mechanical (physical) exfoliation uses friction: scrubs with sugar, salt, or other fine particles; textured mitts; and, on feet, pedicure files and paddles.
• Chemical exfoliation loosens the bonds between dead cells with ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), including glycolic and lactic acid, and with enzymes. Urea-based softeners are common in pedicure callus care.

How to Exfoliate Safely

1. Confirm the skin is intact. Avoid cuts, rashes, sunburn, and irritated skin.
2. Dispense a single-client portion with a spatula or pump, and keep the jar covered.
3. Apply to moistened skin and massage gently in circular movements for about a minute or two. Use lighter pressure over bony areas.
4. Remove thoroughly with warm water or a warm, damp towel.
5. Follow with lotion. After a chemical exfoliant, remind the client that the skin may be more sun-sensitive.

Watch for: salt scrubs sting in tiny cuts, including those from shaving. That is one reason clients are advised not to shave their legs right before a pedicure. Stop immediately if the client reports burning.

Thermal Treatments: Stones, Towels, Mitts, and Booties

Heated stones, usually smooth basalt, are warmed in a dedicated heater and used as an extension of your hands during massage. Hot towels come from a towel warmer. Heated mitts and booties wrap the hands or feet after a treatment product is applied.

• Test every heated item on your own inner forearm before it touches the client.
• Keep stones moving. Never leave a hot stone resting in one spot, and never place stones on areas the client cannot feel well.
• Ask about comfort and remove heat immediately if the client says it is too hot.
• Do not use heat with the paraffin contraindications listed above. Avoid applying heat directly over varicose veins or recent injuries.
• Sanitation: clean and disinfect stones between clients as the manufacturer directs; use a fresh towel for each client and put used towels in the closed soiled-linen container; clean the warmer and heater on schedule; clean mitts and booties or use disposable liners.

Some spa services also use cool stones or chilled products for a refreshing contrast. The same comfort checks and sanitation rules apply.

Scenario: Choosing Add-Ons for Two Clients

Client 1, age 34, has dry, rough hands and no health concerns. A spa manicure with a sugar scrub, massage, and paraffin is appropriate. You test the wax on your wrist, sanitize her hands, apply three dips, and wrap them for about eight minutes. After peeling the wax off, you discard it and cleanse the nail plates before polish.

Client 2, age 70, has type 2 diabetes and says her feet "feel numb." Paraffin and hot stones are not appropriate because she cannot reliably feel heat. Instead, you offer a gentle pedicure in lukewarm water with light effleurage, skip the scrub near a small crack on her heel, and suggest she ask her physician or podiatrist about foot care.