The Pedicure Dialogues

Today, I finally took time to have my pedicure done. I am into pedicures not because of vanity or the nail arts. In my case, it's a necessity. If you have toe nail problems like mine ~ Onychocryptosis , you would definitely need an expert to handle this business. (Relax, it's only the medical term for ingrown toe nails). But the sad part is, I don't know how to do it by myself. So I really go to a salon or beauty parlor to have it done. At least twice a month, or else the next appointment will be a bloody episode, especially if the manicurista does not know how to take it out.

For today's session, I went to Going Straight at SM San Lazaro (since it's very near at our place). My manicurista's name is Ate Elma.

 

The Pauper and The Princess

In my hometown (Roxas City), I have a reliable manicurista. I only entrust in her the fate of my toe nails. I don't usually go to other parlors to try others but I guess I have to do it here in Manila. Aside from the trust and the homey atmosphere, the cost of mani/pedi in the province is very affordable compared to the mala-ibong Adarnang presyo of the mani/pedis here in Manila. With only Php60.00, you already have a very clean pedicure. Unlike here, prices start at Php100.00 (these are the parlors outside the Mall area) to Php200 (Mall tenants). A very posh service will rob you out at Php650.00. Well, if you have the luxury of paying this kind of amount, why not? But this can wait for a while.

Why it's very expensive to get a decent pedicure nowadays? I would like to consider the healthy aspect of this. Did you know that you can get infections and even Hepatitis B from just getting a pedicure? If the equipments they use are not sterilized, most likely, you can acquire such medical conditions. That's why, I'm not only looking at the facade of the parlor, but I'd like to know as well how they take care of their equipments after every procedure. So, I asked the manicurista who was assigned to me how do they sterilize their tools. She said, "pinupunasan po namin ng alcohol." Fair enough. I can live with that. But I failed to asked if how many percent of alcohol and if it's ethyl or isoprophyl. (Hayaan mo na. Basta alcohol. Patay din ang mikrobyo dyan.)

Conversations over Pedicure

Making the most of my pedicure time while finishing the book "World Without End".

Ate Elma is a petite lady and accommodating to her customers. As she positioned herself and her tools of the trade (and me, of course), the following conversation took place: (I must warn you, the following conversations contain several dialogues that are unpleasant to hear.)

Ate Elma: "Tatanggalin po ba ang ingrowns?"
Me: "Opo." (Surely, definitely, totally!!!)

Ate Elma: "Anong cut po ba? Square o round?"
Me: "Square po." (I'm not diabetic, but just in case, its one way not to cause deep ingrowns later)

Ate Elma: "Pili na po kayo ng color ng nail polish mam."
Me: "Cleaning lang po. Hinde po ako naglalagay ng color."
Ate Elma: "Ay sayang naman po." (Bakit kaya?)

She now began the ritual of cleaning, pushing, pulling and tagging out dry skin and ingrowns from my toes specially the big toes. While doing that, the Q&A continues...

Can you see the look on Ate Elma's face?

Ate Elma: "Kelan po ang huli nyong pedicure?" (then starts to look at me as if I just murdered somebody)
Me: "Uh...2 weeks ago po." (why do I feel guilty all of a sudden?)

Ate Elma: "Ang kapal na kasi ng dry skin nyo. Makati na siguro ito." 
Me: "Oo nga po e." (nahiya naman ako bigla)

After a while, she pulls out a dry skin and placed it on my foot to show to me that she painstakingly excavated the whole thing out from the depths of my toe. (Why do they do this? Is this part of their training? I'm just wondering since most of the manicuristas that I encountered have this kind of practice or routine)

Then she gave me an advice.

Ate Elma: "Huwag po kayong maglagay ng lotion sa kuko ng paa para mabawasan ang mga dry skin."
Me: "Ganun po ba?" (Really? I did not know that.)

So, our session together ended with me relieved from the uncomfortable feeling of dry skin and ingrowns in my feet. Though Ate Elma made me feel like an unkempt child, she did a very good job and I gave her a tip of Php20.00. My pedicure fee is Php140.00 by the way.

Until then... see you again in the next pedicure dialogues.