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4: IS YOUR USE OF NEEDLES SAFE IN YOUR PRACTICE? |
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by - Pauline W. Fallis,
Over the years I have heard from many electrologists about the practice of
re-using electrolysis needles. They have been wiped off with a disinfectant
and saved in an envelope for that client's next treatment, or they have
been wiped off with a disinfectant and used on multiple clients, or they
have been processed in a beaded unit and used again on the same client on
their next visit or even on another client. If you are using any of these
procedures in your practice, you are putting both yourself and your client
at risk.
Your needles are one of the most critical instruments that you use in the
practice of electrology. It is the instrument that penetrates the skin. It
sometimes becomes contaminated with blood, serum or other material, from or
on the skin, or in the hair follicle during the treatment. The use of
contaminated needles is one of the most risky practices respecting the
transmission of H.I.V., Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C. It is for this reason
that it is particularly important that a sterile disposable needle be used
for each treatment.
There are several types of electrolysis needles available in the market.
They may be stainless steel or gold-plated, one or two piece, insulated or
non-insulated, and disposable or non-disposable. The choice is yours,
depending on your epilator, your preference or your standards. This
discussion will focus on the choice between disposable or non-disposable
and their care and handling to ensure that these needles are sterile at the
time that they are actually used.
Non-disposable needles are made of a different quality of metal, thus
making them able to withstand the sterilization process, whether by a steam
or dry heat method. Chemical sterilization should not be done on needles,
because there is no way of monitoring the effectiveness of the
sterilization process, and there is no way of storing them in a sterile
state ready for use. If your choice is non-disposable needles, then after
treatment they must be cleaned thoroughly. No instruments can be sterilized
unless they are cleaned first. They then must be packaged in sterilization
wrappings. Packaging materials for sterilization are available from a
number of suppliers and they must be stored in a clean dry place prior to
use. Even new re-usable needles, BEFORE they are used for a treatment, MUST
be cleaned, packaged and sterilized, just as if they had already been
contaminated from actual use.
Disposable pre-packaged sterile needles are the safest for both client and
electrologist, and they should be your first choice. They are designed to
perform the same as re-usable needles, but are manufactured differently
because they are meant to be used for one treatment only. These needles are
not designed to withstand exposure to the high heat of any sterilization
process. They must not be sterilized for reuse because sterilization by any
method, including chemicals, may damage the needles and affect their
performance. Like all sterile products, whether re-processed or purchased,
they must be stored in a clean dry place ready for use.
The relatively low cost of sterile disposable needles, on a per client
basis, represents a very small part of the treatment cost. Not only is the
cost of a re-usable needle higher at the outset, there is a hidden
re-processing cost made up of time and supplies, that is not usually taken
into account.
The use of sterile disposable needles is a standard of practice demanded of
the members of the Canadian Organization of Professional Electrologists,
(COPE National). It is reassuring to the educated client that the
electrologist is using safe devices and practices. This in turn results in
higher client satisfaction.
REFERENCES -
Fallis, P.W. - "Handbook on Infection Control in Office-Based Health Care
and Allied Services." - Canadian Standards Association, Plus 1112, Toronto,
Ontario - 1994.
Mahan, J.L., and Ebersole, M.E. - "Infection Control Standards for the
Practice of Electrology" - American Association of Electrology, Trumbull,
Connecticut, U.S.A., - 1991.
Whipple, L. and Helgeson, J. - "Infection Control Practices and
Sterilization Standards". - Society of Clinical and Medical Electrologists
Inc., Bellingham, Massachusetts, U.S.A., - 1993.
INFECTION CONTROL ARTICLES
- PREPARING FOR THE PATIENT/CLIENT
Spring 2001, Volume 8, Number 1
- PREVENTING INFECTION FOR ELECTROLYSIS
Fall 2000, Volume 7, Number 2
- INFLUENZA
Spring 2000, Volume 7, Number 1
- MICROORGANISMS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Summer 1999, Volume 6, Number 2
- BLOOD BORNE INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND PERSONAL PROTECTION
Spring 1999, Volume 6, Number 1
- MICROORGANISMS & INFECTION
Fall 1998, Volume 5, Number 2.
- BIOLOGICAL TESTING OF YOUR STERILIZATION PROCESS
Spring 1998, Volume 5, Number 1
- STEAM STERILIZATION
Fall 1997, Volume 4, Number 2
- CHEMICAL STERILIZATION
Spring 1997, Volume 4, Number1
- DRY HEAT STERILIZATION
Fall 1996, Volume 3, Number 2
- STERILIZATION
Spring 1996, Volume 3, Number 1
- IS YOUR USE OF NEEDLES SAFE IN YOUR PRACTICE?
Fall 1995, Volume 2, Number 2
- PREPARING INSTRUMENTS FOR STERILIZATION
Spring 1995, Volume 2, Number 1
- WHY ARE GLASS BEAD STERILIZERS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN ELECTROLOGY?
Fall 1994, Volume 1, Number 2
- STERILIZATION: HOW, WHEN, AND WHAT WITH
Spring 1994, Volume 1, Number1
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