Are Autoclaves Used In Beauty Salons?

First off, let’s talk about what autoclaves are. Autoclaves are pressure devices that make use of steam sterilisation compounded with temperature and time to thoroughly sanitise various instruments, tools, and objects.

It is effective because it is capable of killing all microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and even spores.

It is because autoclaves are effective at sterilising that they are used in all types of settings.

Though there are different types of autoclaves, all of them basically perform the same function: steam sterilisation based on pressure, temperature, and time.

It is important to understand that autoclaves are designed to not disinfect but to sterilise.

While disinfection is the process of destroying the vegetative form of existing microorganisms, sterilisation can completely eliminate all forms of microorganisms whether they are in a vegetative form or a spore form.

Hence, sterilisation is more trusted in preventing the transfer of infection or viruses. 

In beauty salons, you can typically find that they make use of cosmetic autoclaves.

Hygiene and sanitation is a critical practice that every beauty salon must accomplish, and so it is best that they use an autoclave to safeguard this.

Cosmetic Autoclaves

So, what is a cosmetic autoclave? A cosmetic autoclave is an autoclave that you will usually find in salons.

They are used to sterilise tools such as tweezers, nail filers, scissors, nail cutters, and much more. 

There are different types of autoclaves that are available for beauty salons. These include the following:

• Class N autoclaves, which can sterilise simple and solid instruments without the packing. It is also known as the lowest autoclave class.
• Class S autoclaves, which can sterilise hollow instruments whether they are packed individually or in groups. They can sterilise at 134 degrees Celcius.
• Class B autoclaves, which are the most universal autoclaves. They can sterilise instruments that are both packaged and unpackaged. They can also sterilise products that are composed of more than one material.

Oftentimes, the cosmetic autoclave is the class S autoclave, which is primarily used to sterilise unpackaged, hollow, porous, or solid objects.

However, as mentioned, another autoclave class you may find in beauty salons is the class B autoclave, which is known to be more versatile in comparison to class S autoclave because it can sterilise packaged and unpackaged instruments.

Some salons make use of UV light steriliser boxes, Barbicide, and other chemical solutions; however, these tools are incapable of killing all infection and bacteria. 

You can also find cosmetic autoclaves in places such as tattoo studios. 

Why Is Sterilisation Important In Beauty Salons?

Sterilisation is an important practice that every salon should be doing, especially with the COVID-19 situation.

Since beauty salons deal with new customers, it is important to sterilise the instruments they use in order to prevent the transfer and spread of viruses and bacteria, as this can lead to some serious unexpected health problems. 

In fact, some customers have reported that they have gotten skin rashes, nail fungus, and other types of infections due to poor sterilisation practices of salon operators they had previously visited. 

If you are unsure whether the salon you are visiting uses an autoclave, it is wise to first approach the staff and ask them if they use an autoclave to regularly sterilise their equipment.

This will help ensure that you are 100% protected from contracting any unwanted health risks. 

Summary

Autoclaves are very trustworthy sterilisation devices that are capable of killing all microbial life, whether they are in vegetative or spore form.

Because of this, it is not uncommon to find autoclaves in a number of industries, and beauty salons are no exception!

Hygiene and sanitation is imperative for all beauty salons to practice. This is to present customers from contracting infections from previous customers, especially with COVID-19 being such a big danger.

Therefore, many salons typically make use of cosmetic autoclaves in order to ensure a healthy standard of sterilisation. Make sure to check if your salon has an autoclave before you book an appointment!