Pedicures -- for men also

By NIKKI PETROWICZ
Collegian Staff Writer

This little piggie went to market.

(Proceed to next toe.)

This little piggie stayed home.

(You know the drill.)

This little piggie went to Downtown Nails, 113 E. Beaver Ave., to be coddled, buffed and massaged.

That third, cultured digit was attracted by a sign in the window that read: "We Do Male Manicures/Pedicures."

Initially he was surprised. Pedicures had always seemed like a luxury reserved strictly for the ladies.

But after considering the stress he'd been enduring and the rough, flaky condition of his skin, he decided to make an appointment.

Men do frequent the establishment -- more often than one might expect.

In fact about 20 percent of Downtown Nails' pedicured clientele are male, manicurist Dawn Tran said. Roughly half that number are older men working for the university while the other half is Penn State students.

Guys and gals enjoy an identical procedure until the final step. Tran or an associate shape the toenails, cut the cuticles, buff the nails and rub the foot with lotion -- whether it belongs to a male or female.

However, when it comes time to apply polish, ladies choose from a large palette, of which dark colors like brown, red and maroon are standard winter favorites.

Guys, meanwhile, receive a clear topcoat to finish the job -- no questions asked.

Either way, the procedure lasts about a half-hour and costs $25, Tran said.

The service attracts a steady following. And although she caters to a handful of regulars year-round, the pedicure business always peaks during the summer -- the season for open-toed sandals, naturally.

The effects are readily visible, she said. Its soothing power aside, this mode of therapy also works wonders for skin and nails.

"It keeps the feet clean and nice," Tran said. "A lot of men are terrible about that."

A sophisticated level of hygiene keeps a regular male troupe coming back, she said. Those who swear by the treatment set foot in the salon every two weeks -- without embarrassment.

"Some men know about (the benefits), and they use it," Tran said.

Only guys ignorant of the benefits might be too embarrassed to give it a fair shot, she added.

Penn State males weren't so sure. Most gave the suggestion a swift kick. Other gents rejected the offer but clung fiercely to open minds.

"I don't disrespect it," Corey Keys (senior-English) said. "I just wouldn't do it myself."

Regardless of the reason, most little piggies evidently would rather stay home.

"It's not really a guy thing to do," Steve Cho (sophomore-computer engineering) said of the pedicure. "It's all right though. It's a personal choice. It's always good to be clean. I just wouldn't (get a pedicure) personally."