It was not in the name of some feminist agenda of gender equality or anything but simply because his toenails were so gnarly that I had no idea where to even start.
It all started on the 4th of July at the neighborhood parade when I jokingly said I was going to have to take him for a pedicure to take care of the problem. Our friend (Mr.) D, overheard my comment and raved about the place he and his wife go to get pedicures. D said he started getting them when he had an ingrown toenail that became infected resulting in surgery.
(Mr.) E chimed in that he had back problems that made it difficult for him to care for his toenails and that he too went in for regular pedicures. He too raved about how wonderful it was to have his feet cared for.
Today I again noticed that Mo's toenails were awful so I said "Either you can cut them, I can cut them, or we can go in for a pedicure." He chose pedicure.
(It was hilarious -- he knew every woman in the place -- three mom's of classmates and his best friends great grandmother! So much for keeping his pedicure, which he was a bit shy about, a secret.)
While we were there another male came in for a pedicure.
Later at the dog park someone noticed by vivid blue toenails (Mo picked the color) and he too admitted to the occasional pedicure.
I had no idea that so many men had pedicures!
I'm wondering if this is some bizarre neighborhood thing or if men everywhere indulge in this sort of grooming.
I have never had a pedicure, or a manicure for that matter. It's something I just never did. A number of times I've given it thought; but, never get to it and end up just getting the toenails myself. I have to admit I enjoy trimming and filing them and smoothing the rough spots away on my feet.
Several men I know and have known in the past have gone for regular pedicures, both here in New York and when I was living in Vermont. Not sure if it's regional or what.
Anyway, glad you got your 2 gentlemen to have their toenails clipped and evened up. Lengthy, filthy toenails always make me cringe on either a man or a woman.
I've always taken good care of my toenails but I'm pretty flexible and I've never really considered how difficult it might be for people who aren't.
When I think of it in terms of basic grooming and health it seems kind of strange that men wouldn't take advantage of this service. I wonder why it's considered a "girl" thing.
Mo loved it and now he's trying to convince my husband that it is the best thing ever so he'll join us on our next excursion.
I learned early to tend to my grooming. If the nails start getting too long I find it uncomfortable and just go to work on them.
My mother who had diabetes needed help getting her toenails done. More due to her poor eyesight than an inability to reach them. For whatever reason she refused to get them done professionally in any local places, and then more or less commanded my sister to tend to it.
Eyesight probably plays a role in my inability to deal with Mo's awful toenails. I don't see very well, even with glasses.
I had never had a pedicure until I went to visit my mom and she insisted that I join her at her regular appointment. It had become difficult for her to do on her own and she didn't want to have to ask one of us (her kids) to do it for her.
Now when I go to visit my mom I just plan on a pedicure. This is the first time I've ever had one without being with her.
Pedicures seem pretty extravagant even when money isn't a big concern. I'm pretty frugal as a rule -- it's the way I was raised. My mom is really frugal. Through her I've come to see such things as more of a health issue, than a vanity issue.
0 Replies
twang wang
1
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Thu 11 Jul, 2013 02:00 am
@boomerang,
I have never had a pedicure but would love to have one at least once. Because I believe it relieves all my toe and foot muscles and removes hard dead cells on my foot. It would also be like a good massage.
I went to the doctor once and the PA looked at my clean but very calloused feet and said "you need a pedicure." I was shocked but she was serious and I usually am good about listening to medical advice. I hesitantly went into a place pretty much at random. The woman there took something that looked like a vegetable peeler to my feet and removed twenty years of callouses over the next half hour. My shoes fit differently after that. Now I just use a "Ped Egg" to keep them under control.
I suppose this sort of encapsulates the mentality.
A budgie, by the way, is one of these....
Call me old fashioned, but all that male grooming and salon scene just ....ain't...... right!
There, I've said it. Just my opinion of course.
Note : Other male opinions may vary. Always read the instructions on the tin. Never let a male get a liking for scented candles. The sponsor of this thread takes no responsibility for what and what not a modern male does in the privacy of his own moisturising session.
Two reasons why I haven't tried pedicures:
1. Money. It hurts me to think about paying others to cut my toe nails.
2. Lack of patience. Sitting around for a half and hour and twiddling my thumbs sounds painful. I can barely suffer through haircuts but I consider them far more necessary.
((sigh)) Admittedly:
3. I'm not too proud of the state of my toenails to let others ... fix them.
On the other hand, if I had a significant other, I'd me more motivated and willing to actually pay and get a more pressing manicure.
I had my first pedicure in my mid-40's. I wish I'd started earlier. Not so much for the grooming but the health care side of it.
I don't have it done often, some years only once, some years 2 or 3 times. Toenail clipping I can handle, but I feel best letting someone else manage the callouses - esp after I caused a bit of an injury to my heel by over-enthusiastic sanding.
I don't think I've been for a pedicure in the last 5 or 6 years where there wasn't at least one man in getting his feet tended to.
hamburgboy gets his pedicure by way of a community nurse. Gotta have healthy feet to walk.
The massage is what my son loved about it. Since he didn't want polish they spent extra time on the foot massage. Plus, they use these wonderful, heated massage chairs that melt away a lot of tension!
0 Replies
boomerang
1
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Thu 11 Jul, 2013 07:21 am
@engineer,
The first time I went in they were horrified at the state of my feet. I noticed a real difference in the way my shoes fit too.
I've seen those ped-egg things but I worry I'd be overzealous and cause some real damage.
0 Replies
DrewDad
3
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Thu 11 Jul, 2013 07:26 am
@boomerang,
Wait... people cut their toenails?
I like to keep mine long, that way people are never startled when I'm barefoot. They can always hear the click-click-click as I cross the floor....
A more masculine environment might be a good idea. Mo did get over his shyness about it pretty quickly but I'm sure if he hadn't known every woman in the place he would have been more comfortable.
I asked him what he would say if his friends teased him about it and he said he'd say "Dude. You really don't know what you're missing."
0 Replies
boomerang
1
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Thu 11 Jul, 2013 07:34 am
@tsarstepan,
Yep. The money thing. It is hard to pay someone to do something you can easily do yourself. Still it's cheap enough to be doable while expensive enough to seem indulgent.
The time actually goes by pretty fast. Every salon I've been in has a stock of trashy, checkout stand magazines that are fun to look through.
0 Replies
boomerang
1
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Thu 11 Jul, 2013 07:42 am
@ehBeth,
I was in my mid-40s too and I had been brutal to my feet for many, many years. It was good to have it done professionally to get a sort of starting place to know what they should look like.
I used the same logic with Mo's feral nails - get them done and then maintain them. He loved it so much that he things we should best leave it in the hands of professionals from now on.
You should take your little daughters in. Think of how fun that would be!
0 Replies
OmSigDAVID
1
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Sat 13 Jul, 2013 05:30 am
@boomerang,
boomerang wrote:
I was in my mid-40s too and I had been brutal to my feet for many, many years. It was good to have it done professionally to get a sort of starting place to know what they should look like.
I used the same logic with Mo's feral nails - get them done and then maintain them. He loved it so much that he things we should best leave it in the hands of professionals from now on.
Some years ago, while I was getting a haircut,
I saw a lonely-looking pretty girl in the barbershop.
She was the manicurist. Out of good will for her,
I engaged her services. I did not like the results.
She cut them too short. I was glad when thay grew out again.
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