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You think you’re doing everything right for the safety and care of your clients. Day in and day out you take measures to wash your hands, wipe down surfaces and more. However, a couple of the most common hygiene solutions you’re relying on, are letting you down.
'Standard' hygiene practice during treatment is to use paper head sheets or towels for shared surfaces on the massage table. Unfortunately, these products are nowhere near as protective as they need to be and are placing your clients at risk of infection. On top of this, they often cause discomfort and contribute to unnecessary waste.
Whether it’s in massage, acupuncture, physio, chiro, osteo or other therapy treatments, here’s how the industry’s most popular solutions are failing your duty of care, customer experience and the environment.
The Paper Problem
On paper — paper sounds like a great solution. Single use for hygiene purposes, easily disposable and usually even recyclable. No issue, right?
Well, not exactly. While paper may be single use, if often tears during treatment and allows fluids to seep through. Paper sheets that do provide improved bacterial filtration are made from mixed materials. This typically includes plastic polyethylene lining and means they are no longer recyclable.
Either way, all paper-based head sheets on the market fail in one huge way — they do not cover the internal area of the face hole and this is where clients directly place their main pathogen transmission pathways (eyes, nose, mouth) during treatment. Without proper protection in this area, clients are exposed to bacteria.
Not only are your clients at risk of harmful germs but there’s also the discomfort of post-treatment wrinkles and irritated skin. Paper is rough against the face and the sound of rustling doesn’t make for a relaxing experience.
The Trouble With Towels
In the beauty, massage and physical therapy industry, towels are essential during treatment. But did you know they’re an ideal environment for breeding bacteria?
Warm, absorbent and damp, towels retain anything from harmful skin flora to infectious and deadly diseases. Swab testing of five beds from five clinics using terry towelling and paper products, found traces of Rhinovirus and Golden Staph in the internal aspect of the face hole.
Worse yet, no matter how much you wash them, stubborn germs are likely to remain. Researchers have found that even hospital grade laundering is insufficient in removing 100% of contaminants from towels.
Well, at least they’re reusable? Yes, however, they’re not as environmentally friendly as you may think. Towels command a huge amount of water and energy to clean daily. Did you know that a standard washing machine uses anywhere between 60 and 130 litres of water per load? Consider how many loads your business does every week — that’s A LOT of water and energy.
And of course, the other major flaw is that they don't cover the internal aspect of the therapy bed's face hole.
It’s Time to Swap to Purifas® FaceShield™
Soft, silent and client preferred, the Purifas FaceShield is the first and only product worldwide to provide 100% face hole coverage. It is scientifically proven to reduce bacterial transmission by 86%. Additionally, clinical testing has revealed that there is a significant reduction in bacterial transfer with its use.
Made from two-ply polypropylene, the FaceShield is as smooth as silk and will stay intact for the entire treatment. Its luxurious feel is sure to impress your clients.
Don’t just listen to us — take the word of clients. Purifas® conducted market research where clients experienced treatment with a paper product and then the FaceShield. Almost 90% of clients preferred the FaceShield, and 70% referenced comfort and improved feel compared to paper sheets.
Better for Your Clients — And the Environment Too!
Make the swap not only for your clients but also for the environment. Healthcare services contribute to 7% of Australia’s carbon footprint. Some waste is unavoidable and in healthcare, necessary, for example disposal of acupuncture needles or single-use gloves. That’s why it’s more important than ever to take control of the waste you can reduce or recycle.
The Purifas FaceShield is 100% recyclable. Therapists can deposit used FaceShields at any of the thousands of REDcycle bins around Australia. Alternatively, you can arrange for collection through Terracycle’s bin service.
Say goodbye to paper and towels, and hello to a safer, more comfortable and environmentally friendly solution — Purifas FaceShield. It’s the best swap you’ll make!
The Purifas® FaceShield™ is available for purchase for AU$39.60 per box of 100 here.
Ensuring top-notch hygiene in therapy and allied health settings is vital for client safety. Shared equipment can easily lead to cross-contamination without strict hygiene protocols. Towels, frequently used in these environments, can harbour bacteria even after washing, posing risks to both clients and therapists. This guide will help you understand these risks, avoid common mistakes and implement the best hygiene practices, all while being environmentally conscious.
