This might be a stupid question. Since there is direct contact between the laser equipment and my skin, im concerned how safe and clean is it? What form of cleaning is done as it is used from one client to another. I dont want to contract any type of disease either skin or contagious diseases from using the laser. Is there a procedure that clinics do to make sure it is clean and safe to use? If so, I want to know so I can verify with this place that I am getting my procedure done.
I guess it falls to me to answer this question.
Yes, they are sanitized in between client/patients. Everything that touches the client/patient must either be disposeable, or sanitized, if not sterilized in between uses.
I guess I missed this question?
This question should be added to the Laser FAQ’s if it isn’t already there.
Yes, as James said, anything that touches the client should be disinfected or sterilized. Sterilization is only possible for some items for electrolysis, but for laser, I’m sure that nothing can be sterilized, but rather disinfected.
I think it eases the client’s mind a great deal if they can actually see the practitioner wiping the goggles, the wand the digital panel or whatever is toughed during a treatment.
A multi-purpose disinfectant/decontaminant cleaner for hard, non porous inanimate surfaces will do the the job. I use a product called ENVIROCIDE. It is bactericicdal, virucidal, fungicidal and tuberculocidal, meaning it afects MRSA, VRE, HBV, Herpes 1-2,
Salmonella,Staph, TB, Pseudomonas. Surfaces need to remain wet for 30 seconds or 3 minutes for HIV-1. It has to be diluted correctly and applied correctly. There are other products as well that will do the job. Plastic wrap can be put over some surfaces and discarded after treatment as well.
But, yes, your question is valid and do ask this question and verify that it is being done.
One gripe I frequently hear in conversation about people’s hospital and doctor office experience is, the staff do not wash or sanitize their hands before they touch the patient or they come into the room wearing gloves. Who knows where those gloves have been or what nasty things they have touched. No wonder there are so manny hospital acquired infections. If people like yourself called health professionals on this critical item of hand washing or item sanitation and insisted that they demonstrate that they are doing this in front of you, it would spare many unnecessary weeks of sickness that could lead to possible death.
This is a dramatic answer to your question, I know, but the simple message is, the client/patient needs to be protected better than what I have heard about and seen. So do insist that anything that touches your skin be disinfected and that you can see the practitioner actually wash or sanitize their hands PROPERLY in your view. Turning the water on and getting the hands wet for 3 seconds doesn’t count. It could save you (or your loved one) a lot of distress if health professionals would just wash their hands.
Have there been any published reports about patients getting any skin infections after being treated with laser because of disinfection failures? Anyone know? I haven’t heard of any.
Dee
Thanks that detailed response dfahey. I did call the place and she said that it is sterilized. But you mentioned in your response that sterilizing may not be possible for laser only electrolysis equipment which makes me wonder if what she is saying is true or is she just saying it coz I brought it up? I have an appointment next wednesday and I dont want to proceed unless I know that everything is safe and clean. Call me “ANAL” but the last thing I want is to contract anything esp herpes or HIV from this procedure. What should I say or do then? Or am I making a big fuss out of this? Is it even possible to get herpes or hiv from this procedure? or other diseases? are there fluids that get secreted during the procedure (eg. blood even a tiny amount)?
“ANAL” people are grossly misunderstood. I prefer to call people like yourself cautious to prevent harm to themselves and others. May all air traffic controllers, surgeons, architects, amusement park construction workers, etc., be ANAL then. We need anal people.
Some people do not know the difference between disinfection and sterilization, so she may have been uninformed about these terms.
Our laser practitoners here will have to explain what they may or may not have to sterilize I don’t perform laser. I am an electrologist and I know that I have to sterilize my forceps/tweezers and use pre-packaged sterilized probes. I know that I have to disinfect other items that I can’t fit into my sterilizer, like my lamp, epilator and table (duh).
Be polite and direct with what you want to see as a consumer. You only do the business a favor by keeping them on their toes and letting them know that you are just protecting yourself as they would protect themselves if the situation was reversed.
HIV is a very fragile virus and cannot live very long outside the human body.I would not worry about that. MRSA, on the other hand, can hang around on surfaces and fabrics for a much longer time.
I would say there are no fluids from the laser proceedure, but then again, I am not the expert and would hope that sslhr or Choice could help out on that concern.
Too many people are afraid to ask health care professonals or any professional that touches them to WASH THEIR HANDS and clean the equipment. Try getting an infection and loosing weeks and months of normal living time fighting to get better. Demand higher standards. This is where ANAL behavior can be a life saver.
Dee
This has been discussed before. The virus doesn’t live long enough to be transmitted in this way, though it never hurts for the operator to wear gloves etc.
Keep in mind that many lasers also do not actually come in contact with your skin. GentleLASE for example doesn’t.
It depends on which laser is being used as to how it is cleaned. The distance gauge on the GentleLASE does touch the skin, so it should be disinfected. The distant gauges are removal so they can be soaked in a disinfectant or use a wipe. With other lasers like the LightSheer and CoolGlide the part that touches the skin is not removal and must be wiped.
Absolutely ask what their procedures are. If they say they sterilize, ask what method they use. If they say disinfect, ask what disinfectant they use. Dee is correct about some people not knowing the difference between sterilizing and disinfecting. The receptionist may not know exactly, but the person doing the treatment should be able to provide details.