Best foot forward

A therapist works on a patron's toe nails. Photo provided to China Daily

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It involves three main processes in the following sequence - nail beauty, curing by treatment and well-being through massage - to create a truly luxurious and effective pedicure performed by a senior therapist who is a licensed podiatrist, not a mere beautician.

Another unique element in his pedicure procedure is that the therapist works on dry feet. They are not soaked in water like in traditional pedicures.

"I work on dry skin because then I see and feel everything. I also start the treatment with the nails because that is what people look at first," he explains. "The basis of this concept is the medical pedicure, but I have brought podiatry to the level of beauty."

The aim of this strengthening nail treatment is to return nails to their natural beauty. Nails are subjected to an intensive shaping and buffing technique using sterilized podiatrist's tools and specially made drills tipped with diamond dust. The nails are then polished using a mother of pearl-based buffing cream and a natural horn nail buffer covered in chamois leather.

Gonzalez adopted the buffing technique from watching his grandmother as a young adult.

"She was still buffing at 92 years old," he says. "I realized this brought out the health in nails because blood circulation would accelerate and bring nutrients to the surface."

Curing deals with minor problems from callouses and dry skin to serious ones like ingrowns, corns and fungal infections. These foot issues are addressed with a home or medical cure before subjecting the feet to the gentle removal of corns, callouses and thick skin using different tools and blades without damaging the epidermis.

Gonzalez debunks the common idea of cuticles saying, "Cuticles are not the skin around the nails. That is dead skin which has to be removed using a special curved blade so the cuticles can do their job of protecting the nails."

The pedicure ends with a relaxing massage from the toes to the knees. Each muscle group is massaged individually to relieve tension, improve blood circulation, flexibility, mobility and skin elasticity.

A special technique re-plumps the fatty cushion on the balls of the feet. A sprinkle of fine talcum powder cools the feet and legs and finishes the pedicure.