Cinco Vidas

Chemotherapy raises the odds of infection. As we mentioned in our post about white blood cell count, chemo taxes the immune system and makes patients more susceptible to bugs and germs everywhere.

If you’re going through treatment, be hyper-vigilant about cleanliness, and avoid crowded and busy areas that may harbor extra bacteria. Did you know one of those places is the nail spa? It’s true—spas can be teeming with germs. According to CBSnews.com, “American Idol’s” Paula Abdul suffered an infection from a manicure that caused her to lose her thumbnail—and her immune system wasn’t compromised by cancer! So if you’re dying to get a new mani this summer, take a few precautions to keep yourself well. (more…)