Kinoki Foot Pads are adhesive pads, which attach to the sole of the foot and are advertised as having detoxification properties. Users are advised to wear the pads overnight and, by morning, the pads should be discolored with the toxins collected while they slept. The pads contain a proprietary herb blend and vinegar powder; they have not been evaluated by the FDA. There are some risks associated with purchasing these pads.
Monetary Risks
The biggest risk associated with the Kinoki foot pads is the affect on one's pocketbook. The pads retail for $19.99 and users are advised to apply the pads until they no longer change color. The issue is that, as reported by ABC News and NPR, the pads change color whenever then encounter moisture. In the NPR report, the pads were held the pad over a pot of boiling water and the steam alone turned them black. If a user wears the pad overnight, and his feet sweat, the pads will always darken, and may never get lighter over time. As a result, what was an initial $19.99 investment can become more and more expensive and the user buys more pads, believing his body still needs to be rid of toxins.
Medical Risks
According to the Kinoki ads, the pads remove heavy metals, parasites and metabolic wastes, among other things. An independent lab in Berkeley, California tested the pad and found that unused pads had the same levels of toxins as the used pads. Additionally, in 2009, the FTC charged the manufacturers with deceptive advertising; the fact that the pads do not work as advertised may not be a major health issue, but if people with legitimate health problems use the pads in place of traditional therapies, they are in effect, posing a risk.
Personal Risks
The pads use vinegar powder as a major ingredient. As a result, they emit a pungent smell after use. The pads may also leave a slimy or filmy texture on the soles of the feet. Someone who shares a bed with another person may risk offending her bedmate with the aroma of the pads and the feeling they leave on the skin.
References
- ABC News: Ridding Yourself of Toxins, or Money?
- NPR: Japanese Foot Pad Is Latest Health Fad
- Device Watch.org: Sap Sheets: A Device for Saps
- Quack Watch: Detox Schemes and Scams
- Federal Trade Commission: FTC Charges Marketers of Kinoki Foot Pads With Deceptive Advertising
- Consumerist: Great Moments In Commercial History: Kinoki Foot Pads
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