Another article for the mag.

Writing articles for the magazine often gets you to analyze things you normally pay no mind to. Take for example, your nails. While doing research for this piece, I became hyper-aware of the state of mine [as if I didn't already have enough things to have OCD over].

I actually used to have the nasty habit of biting my nails, which is not only gross, but unsanitary. But when I thought about what your hands come across during the course of a day, I dropped that habit quick. [I’m a bit of a germophobe as well].

Then there are your feet. We really punish them don't we? We also tend to take them for granted; that is until they get injured and/or incapacitated. It was then that I became a convert for the male manicure/pedicure.

While some may see men getting manicures and pedicures as something only girlie-men do, basically it is just the next level of personal hygiene. You wouldn't chide a guy for getting his hair professionally cut, or regularly seeing a dental hygienist, would you? The mani/pedi is pretty much the same thing.

Believe me, there are people out there who notice the little things like gnarly digits. The procedure itself is about properly cleaning and shaping the nails, and cleaning up any problems like dry cuticles, and hangnails. In all actuality though, if you maintain your hand health, you won't get hangnails and have cuticle issues.

Hygiene is especially important when it comes to the feet. Your feet can produce up to a pint of sweat each day, and this, coupled with being sausaged in to a pair of shoes, your feet can become breeding grounds for fungi, resulting in some heinously smelly feet.

So not only do getting regular treatments improve the appearance of your hands and feet, it can also contribute to healthier limbs. If the technician knows their stuff, you get the added bonus of getting your extremities massaged. For those on their feet all day, or on a computer all day, this stimulation can prove to be extremely refreshing and relaxing.

If you still don't have the cojones to go to a spa to get the treatment done, you should at least invest in a men's manicure set. A simple set should include a pair of cuticle scissors, a cuticle pusher, a pair of clippers, and a file. There are more elaborate kits out there that include additional tools to help you show that you pay attention to detail.

Recently, a friend of mine recounted a story of getting their leg sliced by their partner who had Sasquatch-length toenails, while in the throes of passion. Not only would that be painful, it could be messy. In this day and age, no one should be walking around with deadly talons like that on purpose.