If you think that pedicure is not a thing for men, think again. It is the high time when you should come out of the stereotypes and start enjoying the good things of life. Let us make it clear that a pedicure is one of the good things that you can easily present yourself with. So, please do not turn away from pedicures only because you have a male image to maintain. There is no rule saying that men cannot take care of themselves and getting a pedicure is just a part of that. Pedicure for male has a bunch of advantages and in fact, they are as important for men as for women.
Before we get into the details of why men should consider getting regular pedicures, first we will discuss how to do pedicure for male. Yes, you can do your pedicure at home without visiting the parlor, but yes it might not be that much a fun as here you will have to do the process instead of just enjoying it. However, having a detailed idea about how the pedicure is done for male can be useful even if you get it done from a salon. Once you know what will be done next, you will be able to relax more and actually enjoy it. So, first let us take you through the steps of pedicure for male.
Soaking is the first step
Any pedicure will start with soaking. Soaking helps in softening the skin as well as the nails and also makes it easier to clean out the dirt, debris and dead cells. Soaking the feet in warm water can be effective but to make it more efficient and to give an overall cleansing effect to the feet, normally a number of ingredients are added with the warm water.
Some of the common ingredients that are added in the water for pedicure include, an activator, which is a bleach type of agent that helps in deodorizing the feet and also clears out the spots and marks on the skin. Apart from the activator, some mild soap is also commonly added to this water in order to get a complete cleansing effect. Some salons might also add some essential oils in this water just to boost up the relaxing effect. It is important that the water is hot when you soak your feet in them. However, make sure that the temperature is tolerable.
The soaking before pedicure should continue for at least 10 minutes because for softening the nails and the hardened cuticles this time is necessary.
Scrubbing should follow
After your feet have been soaked in water for sufficient time, it is removed from water and is followed by scrubbing. For pedicure a physical scrubber or brush is used. You might use a pumice stone or a scrubbing brush or both for scrubbing the feet. The scrubbing process should be extensive and should be able to remove any dead or hardened cells from the feet.
While scrubbing, you might need to use more force for cleaning the skin under foot, but make sure that you do not use the same force for scrubbing the skin above, which can lead to skin irritation later. After the scrubbing part is complete, your feet should be washed with clean warm water to get rid of the debris that has come off due to scrubbing.
Trimming the nails
Now it comes to trimming the nails. You might think that it is one of the easiest things to do, but in reality a complete and proper trimming of toenails is not a very easy task. The trimming should not only reduce the length of the nails but should also clear out the ingrown nails that are quite common in men. Chopping the nails properly from the corners of the fingers is essential and this step takes sufficient time as well as effort.
While trimming the toenails of men, care should be taken to keep the length of the nails to minimum. Longer toenails can be a reason of ingrown nails particularly in men as they spend most of the times of the day in toe covering shoes. However, it is also important to make sure to not to trim the nails excessively, which can be unsightly as well as painful. Once trimming of the nails is done, it is time to take care of the cuticles.
Push back and clear off the cuticles
In case of toenails the problem of cuticles is more prominent compared to the fingernails and hence clearing off the dead cuticles from the nails is important to get perfectly cleaned and groomed feet. To clean the cuticles a cuticle pusher is used ideally. Clearing off the cuticles of the toenails is a tricky task which takes both time and effort. However, while completing this step it is really important to ensure that you do not push the cuticles back too much or harm the nail bed in anyway.
File the nails
When it comes to pedicure, you only need not to file the ends of the nails but also the top of the nails in order to free them from any dead cells or dirt that has accumulated on the nails. While filing the ends of the toenails make sure that you use the filer in only one direction only and take your time to give the nails a proper round shape.
While filing the top of the nails rub the filer with soft hands so that you can clear off the dirt and debris without harming the natural smooth texture of the nails. Once you are done with filing, it is time to wash your feet again with warm water to clear off any dirt and dead cells that has been removed by the process. After this water wash, your feet should be dried out with a towel before moving to the next step.
Massaging the feet
Well, this is certainly the most relaxing part of a pedicure. In this step your feet is massaged with excess of moisturizing cream and it not only helps in rebalancing the moisture of the feet but also gives complete relaxation. A good feet massage will improve the blood flow in the area helping in relaxing the muscles. The moisturizer will also ensure that the newly exfoliated skin of your feet is properly hydrated.
So, now you know how the pedicure is done for male but if you are still not convinced about getting it regularly, here are the reasons why you should,
Improves foot health
Your foot is the last area of your body to take care of and men usually always miss out on it. Feet of men often becomes a breeding ground of bacteria and infection due to accumulation of dirt, dead skin cells and grim. Regular pedicure can be the best way to clean the feet properly. The dirt accumulated under the toenails is not often cleared off properly unless they are given special attention through a pedicure. Pedicure ensures that your feet are clean and protected from bacterial or fungal infections that are quite common.
Gives you rid of foot odor
Do you shy away from opening your shoes even amongst your friends and family due to foot odor? Then pedicure is the best way for you to ensure that your feet are free from odor. The odor of feet is often caused due to bacterial growth and improper feet hygiene. Through regular pedicure you can ensure that your feet are free from bacterial growth. The problem of feet odor is quite common amongst men, particularly because they spend most of the times of the day in feet covering shoes, which promotes sweating and proliferation of bacteria. Regular pedicure is the easiest way to deal with foot odor.
The best solution for cracked heels
Do you suffer from cracked heels? It is a common problem amongst men and women particularly during the colder season. Regular pedicure can be the most effective way to get rid of the problem of cracked heels. Pedicure clears off the dead cells efficiently from the feet and also provides the required moisture that can help in preventing cracking of the heels.
Prevents ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails can be a real point of pain and they can even be a cause of toenail infections. Clearing off the ingrown toenails minutely is important and it is only a proper pedicure that gives you relief from this problem.
Gives your feet the good look
Looking good is important, for men as well as for women. Your feet go through a lot on a daily basis and through regular pedicure you can ensure that they look not only clean but well-groomed all the time.
Pedicure is relaxing
If none of the above reasons is convincing for you, then too you should get pedicure, if not for anything else then for the comfort and relaxation it gives. Your feet carry you around all the time and they also deserve to be pampered at least once in a while. Pedicure helps in relaxing the nerves and muscles of the feet which is relaxing for the feet and can also be helpful to prevent joint pains and problems. Pedicure is also relaxing for the mind and can promote good sleep.
