Dr. Robert Spalding, right, appears on "Anderson Cooper Live."

Dr. Robert Spalding, a Signal Mountain podiatrist and author of "Death By Pedicure," recently appeared on "Anderson Cooper Live" to discuss the dangers of pedicures in nail salons and to provide salon safety tips.

Three tips

• Don't shave your legs 24 hours prior to visiting a nail salon. "You'll have portals of infection to get in when your skin is freshly shaven."

• Always ask for the nail technician to use new tools. Even a nail file can break or burn the skin and cause infections.

• Beware of online deals that advertise cheap deals. These deals sometimes mean nail salons will cut corners and shortcut disinfection standards. "A $10 deal in a one-star salon is no deal at all," Spalding says.

Spalding is one of the owners of www.Medinails.com, which has partnered with the American College of Foot and Ankle Orthopedics and Medicine to train podiatric medical assistants nationwide and offer national certification in his techniques.

Excerpts from Spalding's book can be read at www.justfortoenails.com, and his interview with Cooper can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/adsoloj.