If you are someone who thinks about pedicures as a frivolous luxury that is strictly about appearances, you are not alone. Many people believe that pedicures, and visiting spas in general, is something that only people with a lot of extra time and money can do and that the people who are able to visit spas do it just for beauty. However, this old way of thinking has been changing for years now and pedicures (and their benefits) are within the reach of everyday people just like yourself. Furthermore, pedicures are not all about beauty and actually have some surprising benefits which you should remember the next time you are debating whether or not to treat yourself to a pedicure.
IMPROVED CIRCULATION
Most pedicure services come along with massages to the lower legs and feet. Additionally, these massages might include acupuncture or reflexology based manipulations which are all practices that are known to improve circulation. This can be of great benefit to people who might be suffering from poor circulation since poor circulation generally affects the extremities, including the lower legs and feet, first.
REDUCTION IN LEG AND BACK PAIN
Foot calluses can inadvertently cause an unnatural distribution of your body weight or cause you to walk in an unnatural manner as you adjust your gait to minimize or avoid pain from these calluses. Then, this unnatural adjustment of your gait can cause further pain in your back and legs as your body accommodates your unnatural movement. Luckily, most pedicurists have callus removers which look like spinning discs attached to a handle. They can quickly sand down foot calluses which, in turn, will decrease any back or leg pain that you are experiencing because of calluses negatively affecting your weight distribution.
PREVENTION OF SKIN OR NAIL INFECTIONS
Pedicurists are experts at treating the skin and nails of feet which may be prone to dryness, cracking and splitting. The resulting skin fissures which occur because of dryness and cracking are susceptible to infection which is distinctly uncomfortable as foot infections are many times felt with every single step that is taken. Pedicurists use oils and creams to condition the skin of the feet which makes fissures in these tissues much less likely since healthy, well-moisturized skin does not typically split.
IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH
Pedicures are a very relaxing experience and this has positive implications for the mental health of the client receiving the pedicure. Combining warm, comfortable, bubbling water, a lower leg and foot massage and hydrating skin oils or creams makes for a great way to blow off steam after a long day. Additionally, many people enjoy the conversations they are able to have with their pedicurists as they are getting their pedicures and this also helps alleviate stress.
YOUNGER, HEALTHIER LOOKING FEET
Between the exfoliation, callus removal and the hydrating creams and oils which are used in pedicures, you will undoubtedly leave the experience with younger, prettier looking feet. This is because youthful skin tends to be much more hydrated with less imperfections and that is exactly what pedicures help restore to your feet. You will likely also find that your self confidence is elevated after your pedicure and, as an added bonus, you will have perfectly painted toenails.
CONCLUSION
While people many times think of pedicures as something that is strictly for aesthetic purposes, there are actually numerous less-known benefits to be gained from getting a pedicure. Also, the times when pedicures and spas were only within the financial reach of wealthy individuals is long over. Today, countless small businesses offer amazing pedicure services and their prices are very reasonable for their client base. Therefore, if any of the pedicure benefits mentioned in this article are appealing to you, try treating yourself to a pedicure so you can see what all of the fuss is about.