I received a pack of these for Christmas and have used them a couple times now. For those unfamiliar with detox foot pads, look here:
Detox Foot Pads Detox Foot Pads
Now, as a science-minded person, I'm immediately skeptical of the claims. It seems I'm not alone as a quick google search reveals:
kinoki foot pads
As stated, I've tried these twice now and both times, the pads come off looking black/dark. I've read some people claiming that this is the result of the wood vinegar in the pads discoloring (oxidation? chemical reaction with sweat?). This does not seem probable though as many people report that the pads gradually lighten in color as you continue using them until they come off white (at which point the treatment is supposedly complete).
So my question to the scientifically-minded folks of this fine forum is: Do they work?
More importantly, how do they work, if they do work?
The closest I could find to an explanation is that it works like reflexology (of which I'm already dubious).
Here's an ingredient list for the Kinoki foot pads:
- Bamboo vinegar 1.6g
- Tourmaline 0.2g
- Detox herbs 1g
- Emolient base 1.192g
- Lavendar essential oil 0.008g
Some of the google links provide more info on what exactly constitutes "detox herbs".
