What is a Man Pedicure?

A man pedicure, also sometimes referred to as a gender neutral pedicure, is a type of spa treatment for men. Though a pedicure is traditionally associated with toenail polish, this does not have to be the case, and can simply be a great way to care for the feet. A man pedicure may be done before a special event, such as a wedding, or even just as a part of regular body care or a relaxing treatment.

A man pedicure will often be quite similar to a woman's pedicure. In general, once the client arrives at the salon, the first step will be to clip and file the toenails so they are short and squared off. It is necessary to do this before soaking the feet, because the toenails can become soft and easily broken in water. After the toenails have been clipped and filed, the client will be asked to place his feet in a foot bath.

The foot bath is filled with warm water, and often features jets that massage and soften the skin of the feet. The feet may be soaked in the foot bath for approximately ten minutes, after which time they will be taken out and dried. The next step in the man pedicure will generally be to gently push the cuticles back with an orange stick, and clip the cuticles if necessary. It is generally a better idea not to clip the cuticles unless there is dead skin that is very apparent, because this can lead to cuts or infection. Cuticle oil may be applied to soften the cuticles as well.

The feet will then be buffed to remove any calluses or dead skin, to reveal cleaner, softer skin underneath. Even in a man pedicure, the salon technician should never use a file or blade to remove dead skin on the feet; this can easily cut the feet and cause injury. Instead, a wide foot file paddle is often used. Once the feet are buffed, a foot and calf massage with unscented lotion will typically be given.

The final step in a man pedicure is often to simply buff the toenails. Polish is not applied, but buffing the toenails simply makes them smoother. A pedicure generally takes half an hour to an hour, depending on the technician, but a man pedicure may be slightly shorter. A pedicure can be a great way to relax and care for the feet at the same time.