Pedicure Showdown: Dry vs. Wet - What’s the Difference?
Your calluses are sore, your polish is chipped, your feet feel grungy, and you’re really looking forward to your next pedicure!
Most of us have come to know that the standard pedicure includes the 30-minute soak with warm water swirling around your feet, headphones on, tuned in to your favorite relaxing playlist.
However, it’s safer to skip the water altogether and get a dry pedicure.
Why is a dry pedicure the gold standard?
Podiatrists, your go-to foot medical professionals and the North American School of Podology who trains medical pedicurists recommend dry pedicures as the healthiest way to a pedicure and produces the best results.
Your health is important, and despite the disinfectants used in the pedicure foot tanks, your feet are still more prone to germs, easily transmitted fungus and other contagious diseases when you soak on the throne. Contrary to popular belief wet skin distorts the skin a makes it more difficult to accurately remove calluses and dead skin.
You’ll achieve truly soft and smooth skin through a dry pedicure.
Many of us look forward to our pedicure getting rid of hard skin and calluses. Calluses tend to reform every 4-6 weeks.
The medical term for this is debridement.
A podiatrist may use a sterile blade and a salon tech may use a file. Wet skin gives a false sense to the skin. Debridement on dry skin is more accurate and more callus can be removed. The result is more comfort and less frequent callus build-up. Of course, your feet will look better too!
Remember for your own health that you bring your own tools. Clean them between uses, even if only you are the only one using them.
With a dry pedicure, your polish will last longer as well!
Read more about the “No-Water Pedicure - and Why It Rules,” from Goop, and Nails Mag, “No Need for Water, The Pros and Cons of Dry Manicures,” to capture some more information about why this really is the way to go.
So don’t skip the R&R and pedicure, just come prepared with your own tools, and ask for a dry pedicure. You’ll enjoy aa longer lasting pedicure with less risk.