Autoclave in the beauty and nail salon: How to choose the right autoclave

In the beauty and cosmetics industry, the focus is not only on the aesthetic result, but also on the safety and health of customers. A professional and hygienic way of working is crucial to avoid infections and skin irritations. In beauty salons and nail studios in particular, we use tools that come into direct contact with the skin or can even cause injuries.

Sterilising these instruments with a beauty autoclave plays a key role in maintaining high hygiene standards. An autoclave is the most effective device for reliably removing bacteria, viruses and fungi from tools and instruments. In this article, you will learn why an autoclave is essential in every professional beauty, nail and cosmetics studio, what types of autoclaves are available and what you should look out for when choosing one.

Many tools and instruments in beauty studios come into contact with the skin or can cause the smallest of injuries, especially in areas such as:

• Nail salons: e.g. nail scissors, nail nippers, cutter attachments and files have direct contact with nails and skin. Germs can penetrate the skin through the smallest cuts or rough areas.

• Beauty salons: e.g. tweezers, skin nippers and scalpels for facial treatments must be hygienically reprocessed to prevent infections.

• Permanent make-up and microneedling: needles penetrate the skin and leave tiny wounds, making absolutely sterile treatment absolutely essential.

• Medical cosmetics: In the field of apparative cosmetics, invasive techniques such as microneedling or dermaplaning are often used, which require complete sterilisation of the instruments.

The advantages of steam sterilisation in an autoclave for cosmetic and nail studios:

Conventional disinfection methods do not eliminate all germs. Although chemical disinfectants kill many bacteria, they do not guarantee complete sterilisation. An autoclave, on the other hand, uses saturated water vapour under high pressure to reliably kill even resistant microorganisms.

• Elimination of 99.99% of all microorganisms - including bacteria, viruses and fungi

• Safe & reliable sterilisation - with documented proof for instruments that come into contact with skin and body fluids

• Compliance with legal hygiene regulations - for maximum safety in the cosmetics industry

• Protection of customers - from infections, skin irritations and allergic reactions

• Longer instrument life - thanks to gentle, controlled sterilisation

With an autoclave, you can guarantee the highest standards of hygiene and protect not only your customers, but also the reputation of your salon.

In beauty and nail salons, the sterilisation of instruments plays an important role in hygiene and customer safety. Choosing the right sterilisation process is crucial to maintaining the quality of the instruments and ensuring effective and documented sterilisation.

Hot air steriliser: disadvantages and limitationsHot air sterilisation has some significant disadvantages. With a holding time of up to 60 minutes, sterilisation takes considerably longer than with other methods. At a sterilisation temperature of 180 degrees and dry heat, the quality of the instruments can deteriorate as sensitive materials can be damaged. The hot air steriliser is also not suitable for sterilising packaging and hollow items, which limits its use in many areas. Another disadvantage is that hot air sterilisation cannot be documented or reproduced, which can be problematic for many studios that rely on seamless hygiene and quality control.

Autoclave: a reliable solution for nail and beauty salonsThe safest and most effective method of sterilisation in beauty and nail salons is usually steam sterilisation. Class B or S autoclaves are used for this purpose, which work with a fractionated pre- and post-vacuum programme in accordance with the current DIN EN 13060 small steam sterilisers. This process ensures thorough sterilisation of even complex instruments and packaging that cannot be reached by a hot air steriliser. Another advantage of the autoclave is the complete documentation: each batch must be labelled with the respective batch number, the contents and the date of sterilisation, which ensures a high degree of reproducibility and traceability.

Deciding on the right type of autoclave is a key factor for the quality of sterilisation in beauty and nail salons. It depends largely on the type of instruments used and the frequency of sterilisation. There are two main autoclave classes in the beauty industry:

Class B autoclaves - The best choice for the highest hygiene standardsClass B autoclaves offer the highest sterilisation quality and are particularly suitable for studios that have to meet the highest hygiene standards. They are capable of sterilising all types of instruments, including those with complex cavities. Class B autoclaves work with a fractionated vacuum process that enables complete steam penetration and thus ensures effective and thorough sterilisation. They therefore not only offer safety for the present, but also for the future and are therefore the best choice for studios that prioritise the highest quality and safety.

Class S autoclaves - A more cost-effective alternativeFor studios that primarily work with instruments that do not contain complex hollow bodies, a class S autoclave can be a more cost-effective alternative. These devices are designed for the sterilisation of rigid tools and articulated instruments such as scissors and offer reliable sterilisation. Class S autoclaves are less expensive to purchase and are a good solution for studios that do not use highly complex instruments but still require effective and hygienic sterilisation.

How the instrument reprocessing process works with an autoclave

The correct reprocessing of instruments is crucial to ensure the highest standards of hygiene and to minimise the risk of infection or the spread of germs. The following steps should always be followed when reprocessing instruments in a beauty or nail salon:

• Immediate disinfectionThe instruments are disinfected immediately after use. This serves to prevent the spread of germs and to protect the practitioner during further reprocessing. This is usually done by immersing the instruments in a suitable disinfectant solution. Particular care must be taken to ensure that the disinfectant does not cause protein fixation, especially in the case of blood or tissue contamination, as this could impair its effectiveness. A special case exists in the field of mobile foot care: here, used instruments can be stored and transported dry and in a closed container until they are disinfected.

• CleaningAfter disinfection, the instruments are cleaned to remove any dirt or disinfectant residues. If the instruments are heavily soiled or sticky, active mechanical cleaning may be necessary. To prevent recontamination of the instruments during cleaning, all cleaning brushes used must be cleaned and disinfected after use. If the brushes are to be reused, it is important to store them dry and protected from contamination at the end of the day.

• Final disinfection, e.g. with an autoclave After cleaning the instruments, a final disinfection should be carried out. Here too, it is important to carry out a thorough rinse in order to completely remove cleaning agent and disinfectant residues. This rinsing should be carried out with water in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer of the cleaning agents and disinfectants.

• Post-processing and storageInstruments that come into direct contact with the skin and can injure it (e.g. tattooing, piercing or ear piercing instruments) must be visually checked for cleanliness and integrity after cleaning and disinfection. They are then packed in suitable sets, sterilised (see sterilisation procedure) and kept sterile until the next use. Instruments and equipment from other areas of the studio that do not require sterilisation must be stored clean and dry after reprocessing. The storage containers should be disinfected regularly, but at least once a week - or sooner if visible soiling is detected.

The correct and thorough reprocessing of instruments is essential for the health and safety of customers and staff. Only through careful disinfection, cleaning, disinfection and subsequent sterilisation can the highest standards of hygiene be maintained.

In the beauty and cosmetics industry, hygiene is a decisive factor for the success of a salon. Investing in a high-quality autoclave not only ensures maximum safety, but also strengthens customer confidence.

A professional autoclave ensures that all instruments are reliably sterilised and comply with legal hygiene requirements. Especially in areas such as permanent make-up, microblading and medical cosmetics, sterilisation is essential to prevent infections.

Would you like to find out more about autoclaves for beauty and nail salons? Contact us for personalised advice and find the right device for your requirements.