The fine line between pedicures and chiropodists

[artifarti]

I am a pedicure virgin but ready to take the plunge (having ordered my Havianas thanks to the Amazon link!) Thing is I have quite a lot of hard skin on the soles and edge of feet. Am I best of going to a chiropodist first? I also had a verruca when I was pregnant but that seems to have disappeared now.

Basically I don't want to go to a beautician only for her to recoil at the sight of my feet! Or are they used to hard skin?! Help!

Ooh I could have posted this question! My feet are pretty horrendous so am thinking chiropodist but have reached 46 without ever going to either so will be glad aof any advice here!

This is a good question. I have been to a salon before to have my feet done and they slapped on some lovely cream and gave a gentle file and they were nice until the next day, but the dead horny growths were still there.

What's a podiatrist? Is that similar to a chiropodist?

Pedicures are really just to make your feet look pretty and feel nice.

A podiatrist will give them a proper treatment to get rid of hard skin etc then later have a pedicure.

It's a good question. Ideally you would go to the chiropodist first to remove the hard skin and get a pedicure to make your feet look pretty.

Some places combine both but it's not cheap.

In London you have:

www.margaretdabbs.co.uk/clinics/treatments/

Cod used to strongly recommend an annual chiropodist visit

Think sidge is right.

Go to the chiropodist first - they will get rid of all your hard skin. I go every year, just before summer and it really does make a difference.

I bought a ped egg thingy on the weekend. It works really well (plus there is the added fun factor of examining the skinthat comes off) but you can get a bit overenthusiastic and end up with cheese grated toes like I have.
Visit both.

If you choose your salon carefully, you can get the skin razored off. Ask before you book. The one I go to is run by some Korean women and they are great, they think nothing of putting a razor to my manky, winter feet. Some salons (especially the posh ones, I find) just put cream on and rub your feet with a bit of pumice which does nothing for the really hard skin.

lou-ped egg thingy???

Ped egg. I requested one for mothers day but they were sold out around here!

I got it from superdrug for 9.99!
Wizz - I love the asian ladies who do feet. They don't care what your feet are like. Don't try to talk to you about crap and let you sit in peace. I love their little feet razors. To scared to do it myself.

I got a ped egg, it was crap.
I think an annual visit is good but acutaly woudl UP it in the summer to include a mid summer one. and dont bother with beauty salon ones.

Thanks all - will definitely go to chiropodist then before braving a salon. Preferably one with a chisel and welding torch, methinks...

looks like my nigella parmesan grater

It is
and less tasty.

Exactly Lou. They're great.