The next time you pick up a nail clipper to trim your nails, make sure it hasn’t been used by anyone, even by a family member. According to healthcare experts, nail clippers and nail filers have the potential to spread infections and flu. So, keep one just for yourself. In this pandemic, the focus shifted to practicing hand hygiene in order to ward off deadly infections.
But, good hand hygiene was vital even in pre-Covid era, which is why October 15 was declared Global Handwashing Day in 2008. Lack of proper hand hygiene, particularly nail sanitation, can lead to several healthcare issues, visits to the doctor and even hospitalisation.
"We tend to frequently touch our eyes, nose, and mouth, without realising it. If our hands are dirty, the germs can get into the body and we can fall sick," informs Dr Dalip Saxena, a physician from Mayur Vihar, who adds, "Hand washing is more important in India as we eat food using our hands."
Nail hygiene, a must
Hand hygiene is not only about washing our hands, but also keeping the nails clean and clipped. Studies have shown that dirty nails can host lakhs of bacteria. If you prefer long nails with nail polish, ensure that you keep the nail bed and cuticle clean, and use quality cosmetics.
Experts insist that before opting for a manicure/pedicure session at a salon, check whether fresh equipment is used or the old equipment is sterilised. “When you borrow a nail clipper from a friend, there is an element of trust involved, as you know who has used it. But it also increases chances of getting infected. Compare this to getting a manicure at a beauty salon that uses one clipper for innumerable customers. To avoid infections, ensure the equipment is sterilised and as certain the salon maintains properhy - giene," advises Dr Manjeeta Nath Das, Internal Medicines, Columbia Asia Hospital, Palam Vihar, Gurugram.
"It takes a small cut or scratch to make the entire body vulnerable to infection. Our hands (as feet) can play host to many fungal, bacterial and viral," said Nandini Barua, Senior Consultant (Dermatology), Paras Hospitals, Gurugram. Not sharing nail clippers, she says, is one of the safety steps recommended by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention against spreading Hepatitis C.
The flipside
While washing hands is still the best preventive tool to fight COVID-19, mental health experts say this stress is taking a toll on people suffering from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) leading to excessive hand washing among some patients.
"I have noticed people who already suffer from OCD have got more reinforcement to it. Covid-19 has aggravated their symptoms. Contamination OCD, which includes frequent hand washing or bathing, is the most common disorder under anxiety disorders people have," says Rajiv Agarwal, Psychotherapist and Volunteer Doctor at StepOne.
"According to available data, one per cent cent of the Indian population has clinical OCD and pre-clinical cases could be way more. I suspect many preclinical cases have moved to clinical during the pandemic," he says, adding since OCD takes years to manifest, sharing related data is difficult at this hour.
Kamna Chhibber, Head of the Department, Mental Health and Behavourial Sciences, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, agrees: “Only those who have biological vulnerability towards diseases develop OCD. Having said that, the stress on regular hand washing is making OCD patients more confused as they cannot decide whether the urge or the compulsion is due to actual need or the disease. It takes a lot of work on the self to understand where these urges come from.”