My first pedicure

I went for my very first pedicure today.

My friend and I were going to go to dinner this evening. While driving her Mom home, we decided, well she decided, that we were going to go for a pedicure before dinner because I needed to "de-stress". I figured, why not! I've never had one, and I sure do need to relax. And the thought of a foot massage sounded wonderful!!

After we dropped her Mom at her house, we went to a mall nail salon. I'd never seen anything like it before. It had a long row of leather massage chairs for the pedicures and station after station for manicures.

We were shown to pedicure chairs. The water was practically ice cold. She turned the heat up, but even at the end the water was still cool. My feet hadn't been in the water even 5 minutes before she started to cut my nails and scrape the callouses.

The whole thing felt rushed. The girl kept getting up and down to go and do things for other customers, such as apply lacquer to nails etc. or help someone pick a nail colour.

I didn't want polish on my nails. From start to finish it was about 20 or 25 minutes and there was no massage whatsoever. And she was so speedy that it was bordering on rough at times.

When we left I told my friend that I wasn't impressed because I thought I was going to get a foot massage. My friend said that we only got the basic pedicure and that if you want a massage it's a little more. I wish I had known because the only thing that I was really wanting was the massage part!!! I can get rid of my own callouses and clip my own toe nails. But somehow massaging my own feet just isn't the same as someone else doing it!

We're going back again in a week or so and this time I'm asking for the foot massage package. I think it's $10.00 more than the one we had, and is 1 hour long.

I've never had a pedicure in my whooooole life -- and now I probably never will, because in the diabetes education classes I went to years ago with my father, they said diabetics should never risk it. Some salons don't maintain good sanitary practice, apparently.

But I do get foot massages, by golly! After showering, I sit under the fans in the living room to help dry my hair, and Dylan always comes and gives me a nice, long footrub. Silly old cat... I guess he likes the smell of the bodywash.

You can still get pedicures, but you should get them done by a certified foot care nurse who is specially trained to work with diabetic foot issues. The ones here actually go to the person's home. You don't have to have foot problems to have a foot care nurse come to your home, and you don't need a referral from a doctor either. I believe that they only do the basics such as nail trimming and callous removal: They don't do cuticles or massages so far as I know. Rates vary.

Mom and I are going to get one a week from tomorrow! I take her every year for Mother's Day, but we're doing it a little early because she has to work on Mother's day. We go to Inn on the Cove & Spa because the atmosphere is GORGEOUS. Before the pedicures they sit us with coffee, cookies by the windows with a beautiful view of the Bay of Fundy. The pedicures include the massage and it's just great. It is a little pricy, but we only do it once a year, so it's worth it and a nice treat.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

The whole thing felt rushed. The girl kept getting up and down to go and do things for other customers, such as apply lacquer to nails etc. or help someone pick a nail colour.

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From my experience, that is typical in mall nail salons. Generally there is only a couple of people working so they have to multi-task.

I went to a hair salon that had pedicures before and it was better there because they had a private room for it and the lady stayed the whole time.

Originally Posted by catlover19

From my experience, that is typical in mall nail salons. Generally there is only a couple of people working so they have to multi-task.

I went to a hair salon that had pedicures before and it was better there because they had a private room for it and the lady stayed the whole time.

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There were a lot of people working. There was the guy behind the front counter. 7 manicure stations that were full. 2 doing pedicures (mine and my friends), and 1 sitting in one of the massage chairs near the front of the store, a chair away from the nail colour wall. And 1 that was in the back room (I saw her when the girl who had done my pedicure opened the door and went inside).

The spa place sounds so much more like what I was expecting! My feet do feel smooth, but I sure missed that foot massage I was looking forward to!!

Oh wow that stinks! I usually go once a month as a gift to my self. The place I go to is my hair salon and they do an amazing job! I usually opt for the higher one that includes:
a 10minute soak in hot water with oils
a scrub to get rid of dead skin
a scented lotion foot and leg massage
a hot towel wrap
polish
and it ends up being about $40 and about an hour long. Its $25 for a basic but it still involves a massage! Seesh!
Hopefully you will get to go back to another place and get more attention!

How fun!!!! Literally. I only have had one pedicure and laughed my *** off because I am soooooooooo ticklish!!!! No more pedicures for me

I had my very first pedicure about 3 weeks ago Linda and I can tell you it was wonderful.

My feet were put in a tub of fairly hot water with air jets for about 10 minutes. Then came the sloughing off of dead skin, cleaning and filing of nails, then a parafin wax dip, massage, lotion and nail polish.

I would recommend you pay a bit extra and go to a good salon or spa to really pamper yourself. I liked it so much I've another one booked for May 5.

Hmmm.....sounds like they could do better!

Part of me wants to try getting one. But I'm not sure I'll like it. The one and only time I had my nails painted (for a wedding, and it was my natural nails which grow great and are naturally strong) the lady was so rough I didn't enjoy it. So it makes me afraid to let someone else mess with my feet. I'm kind of funny about that anyway. I definitely dont want it to hurt when they get the dry skin off my feet. So I just use my ped-egg when I remember!

But if it's half as relaxing as some people say; I'd hate to be missing out!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

You can still get pedicures, but you should get them done by a certified foot care nurse who is specially trained to work with diabetic foot issues. The ones here actually go to the person's home...

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That does it -- I'm moving to Canada!

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

That does it -- I'm moving to Canada!

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You're welcome to come stay with me!!

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

I definitely dont want it to hurt when they get the dry skin off my feet.

But if it's half as relaxing as some people say; I'd hate to be missing out!

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That part didn't hurt at all. Where I found her to be rough was with the toes and cuticles. I don't think she meant to be rough, but she was working very fast and when you work fast you can't always be gentle.

I'm sure if there had been a foot massage, the rest of it would have been forgiven! As it was, it wasn't a relaxing experience....just one of going and having my callouses removed.

Never had one or a manicure either. I'm not fond of strangers touching my feet!

Originally Posted by GailC

Never had one or a manicure either. I'm not fond of strangers touching my feet!

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I felt the same way and am certainly happy now that I went to a nice salon to have it done for the first time. I can hardly wait for May 5 for my next one.

A pedicure at a spa would be normally a lot nicer than one at a nail salon. Pedicures at those 'chop shop' type places just want to get you in and out and normally they aren't very good quality. I would recommend booking one at a nice spa and you won't be disappointed.

I wouldn't recommend those type of shops for manicures either, especially if you get acrylic nails. I used to go there but found out they use an inferior glue for the nails. I got an infection because of that. When I did get fake nails, I would go to a reputable salon for that.

I don't have fake nails anymore as I found that they were to expensive for the upkeep and did more damage to my nail beds. I am growing my nails out but I have very thin nails now due to the glue and acrylic.

I have never had a pedicure. I have very weird toes and toe nails. My nails on my little toes is just a ball of nail. And the rest of my nails are very tiny.

It sounds like the first pedicure I had, many years ago. The water was lukewarm/cold, they were supposed to play soothing music (not!), etc.

However, I had one done over 6 years ago, a few days before my wedding, and wow! It was $50 USD, but it inlcuded an hour or 2 in a heated massage chair, your choice of a glass of wine, tea or coffee (I took the tea). I also had a $10-off coupon, so it was only $40. I still rave about the service! It was marvellously relaxing--I was getting over the flu, as well. The pedicurist was so thorough, and gave me a wonderful foot massage. I was very impressed--so much that, the next day, I went back for a manicure from her!