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South of Boston |
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GOOD ALTERNATIVES THE NAIL FILES Fake nails moving from fingers to toes At age 12, Kim Heath's big toenails were surgically removed after her doctor said it was the only way to get rid of a chronic fungal infection. From then on, Heath hid her toes in closed-toe shoes. "I was very insecure about my feet," she said. One day in 2002 a friend called while getting a pedicure to tell her another customer was getting fake toenails. Nervous, embarrassed and excited, Heath went out to get her first pair. Since then, Heath, now 24 and a graduate student at Georgia State University, feels better about her feet. "I am Miss Open Shoes now," she said. Though she has the nails replaced once a month for hygienic reasons, she always keeps extras in her bag. "If one pops off, I just glue it back on," she said. "I have a million back-ups." Fake nails, generally made of acrylic, have become increasingly popular for people who, like Heath, are missing nails or who want to lengthen or smooth their existing toenails. But podiatrists and beauticians say the trend brings with it an increased risk of infection. Americans spent $6.43 billion in nail salons in 2005, according to an estimate in Nails Magazine, a trade publication for nail technicians. Recognizing the new focus on feet, artificial toenails are featured on the cover of the publication's April issue. Applying fake nails to customers' feet took off in salons in California about five years ago, said Douglas Schoon, vice president of science and technology at Creative Nail Design, a global nail product and education company founded by Nordstrom. Fake toenails no longer require a trip to a salon, where a full set of toenails costs an average of $40. Wal-Mart sells temporary plastic nails and glue for $5. - EMILIE VAN OUTEREN Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. |
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