A new health fad, the detox foot patch can be found all over the internet. The idea is, apply the pads before going to bed and they will draw the toxins out of the body while you sleep. In the morning the pads will be a dark dirty color which indicates that the toxins have been drawn out of the body through the feet.

An internet search of this product will find blog posts and comments about how the pads will change color even if you only add moisture to the pads and the discoloration has nothing to do with toxins. The only way to determine this would be to take the detox foot pads to a lab and analyze the contents of the pads. Apparently, this has been done by a number of individuals and organizations including a major media company, and they found no significant toxins present in the foot pads.

Some people have reported feeling nausea, dizziness and a burning sensation on their feet. The detox foot patches have been known to have a horrible odour by the morning and many people report not feeling any better afterwards. It appears that the placebo affect may be at work for the people who do report improvements in their well being.

The Detox Foot Spa, Ionic Foot Bath or the Ion Cleanse is a method of detox using ionized water. The patient puts their feet in the water and an “array” is activated which initiates electrolysis in the water. The resulting magnetic field in the water draws out toxins, heavy metals and other impurities through the many sweat glands in the feet.

Like the Detox Foot Pads, the Detox Foot Spa produces a very distinct discoloration in the water. This discoloration also has nothing to do with the toxins being removed from the body because the water will discolour even if there is a carrot, a piece of celery or nothing at all in the water. The electrolyse acting on the minerals and impurities in the water will produce a discoloration effect on its own. The color is not important, the content of the water is important. A few clinics have run trials on the content of the water. Comparing the content of the water with feet to a non feet control. They found a significant difference in the quantity of various heavy metals and other toxins compared to the control group.

Many people experience a noticeable improvement after their first session. People have reported feeling more energetic and refreshed. Improved sleep is a common benefit. Reduced or eliminated headaches and less illness throughout the year.

What would you prefer? A smelly, oily detox foot pad or a relaxing ionized water bath? L’Unique Spa in Vancouver includes a relaxing foot massage at the end of each Detox Foot Spa session. This is a benefit you won’t get from a Detox Foot Pad! And that is a good enough reason for me to choose the Detox Foot Spa over the Detox Foot Pad.