Pink toenails visiting a physiotherapist?

[Carolina]

I have a dilemma (nothing major but relevant for me as Carolina).

Over the weekend I’m planning to have a full mani pedi, facial and for my first time ever, depilating my legs (professional waxing) at a Spa near our summer house a few hours away. I’ve been planning this for a long time. I want to paint my toenails in pink since Summer is over and I won’t go around barefooted. However I just found out that I will need to have physiotherapist sessions on my Achilles heel starting right after the weekend. Unfortunately the physios (the ones I’ll see are males) conduct the sessions in a large room with other patients nearby.

I’m not out (except to my wife) and live and work in an extremely conservative community. I was already pushing it with my intention to get clear nail polish and potentially shaving my legs. I would have to stick to wearing long pants and was willing to risk comments while playing sports (running, tennis or soccer). My “line of defense” for the legs, as weak as it may be, is that doctors are asking me to wear compression stockings for my varicose veins. Stockings on fur covered legs are too hot for Spain, thus my depilation. Not sure if that lame excuse will fly though...

The pink toenails are a different story though. I had it all planned until the need to show my calves and feet to the physio! A few months ago I painted my toenails for the first time, and had a beautiful pink color for almost a month (including a business trip around Caribbean beaches and hotels where I managed to keep my toenails more or less hidden). But this time it looks more difficult. I’d hate not to take advantage of my trip to the out of town spa (where I’m now more comfortable) to have beautiful toes. The alternative is a more boring and subtle beige color...

Apologies for the rambling...

[Crissy 107]

My guess is that it would be a nonevent as I’m sure they have seen it all before. A while back I had a Dr’s appointment and wore my stealth Jockey NPLP bikinis in black. I’m seeing the Dr and he asked me to take off my sneakers and socks. I’m thinking oops as my toes were a very pretty medium pink. I took the socks off and the Dr did not flinch and had no reaction at all. However the female assistant did smile. Overall it was no big deal. I say go for it and see what happens.
Crissy

[Jaylyn]

I had mine a nice red as you can see in my avatar. Summer hit and I do the swimming thing at the lake with the grand kids so off it came. When it gets colder here I'll start back getting color on them. My wife was all for it and thought it was funny but but she doesn't know I want this to be a full time cold weather thing. Sometimes though when your not out you just gotta do what you have to. I'm thinking in your case if you don't want the doctors to see then don't get a pink.

[Fran in skirts]

Why are you worrying doctors see it all. On the day I get mine done I wear flip-flops. After getting my nails done I usually have other things to do so my nicely done nails are on public display. I have never had a bad comment made about them. So go for it!!!

Fran

[marika_jaye]

I went for my DOT recertification (physical exam) last week. My toenails have been a lovely light pink with a cute flowery design in white since late July. I wore panties to the appointment. I stripped down to my panties for the doctor as requested. Neither the doctor or the nurse said a word about my toenails or panties. They've seen it all before. They're more focused on moving patients through their little assembly line of medicine.

As for the general public, I also live in a very "conservative" area, and rarely wear socks in the warmer months, opting instead for comfy sandals. Since I got my toenails polished in July, I haven't heard a single comment about them, and I don't hide them.

We get stuck in our own heads sometimes.

[Teresa]

Carolina,
It's more of a problem to you than them , they won't bother .

I did get a, "OH ! No body hair !" from a Polish physio so I told him why and a nurse kept stroking my shaved legs during an examination . Now it's not a problem as I go to donate blood dressed and had my flu jab .

[KatrinaK]

For what it’s worth, I live in one of the most conservative parts of California (so everything’s relative, lol) but I’ve been painting both my fingers and toes for 6 months and nobody has said a word. Except my brother, who was weirded out a bit. But NOBODY has said anything to me other than “really nice color!” Or “what color is that, I want it”

Nobody cares what color your toes are. And nobody notices if your legs have no hair on them (except my niece who is very precocious and apparently takes after her father)

[Diane Smith]

My toenails have been colored for over 20 years now, and in that time I've had just about every conceivable type of medical exam and intervention, including two hospital admissions for a total of about 13 days. There have been two kinds of reactions to my polished nails: either none at all, or sincere compliments on the color and quality of the pedicure.

Wear your polish with pride and don't show it off or act as if it's any big deal, and the people who take care of you won't either.

- Diane

[Rachelakld]

I had to strip down to my pink bra when they worked on my shoulder.
First session I had a female, but next 5 was done by a male - we got on really well, we both had kids the same age, going to the same school, similar life issues

[Carolina]

Thank you all. I believe I will go ahead with it and get some light pink pedicure and shaved legs (I’m actually pretty excited about it). For my manicure I may have to stick to clear nail polish. Plus I’ll have a 90 minute facial. I’m planning to spend the entire morning at the parlor!

Over the last few months I’ve started getting manicures in different beauty parlors. I try to go to small towns at least 20 miles away from home where nobody would know me, choosing the quietest time to avoid other customers. I try to act as if I belong there having a manicure (all of this in drab, never been out en femme). Truth is I never got any bad comment or raised eyebrow (except at home from my wife). But I got bolder and bolder to the point of asking a few weeks ago for semi permanent very light pink manicure, on longish oval shaped nails.

I thought it was not too obvious despite my wife’s complaints and some odd glance at my nails in the morning from an office male colleague (I work in finance, in the most conservative place I can think of). I survived until lunch time when my daughter, who was visiting from college, shouted “OMG! is dad wearing nail polish?” This was in front of my son (also visiting from college), one of my daughter’s college friends and my wife. Caught pink handed! (Pink fog issues) Reluctantly my wife came to the rescue mentioning some form of bet or dare (not too convincing). In any case, that evening I had to make another 40+ mile trip to take the semi permanent polish off. I replaced it with clear base and matte finish. Since I discovered the wonders of a professional manicure before the Summer, now I can’t get myself to get rid of my nail polish completely. Even if I’m the only one who knows my nails have clear polish on them, I just love them that way.

[Beverley Sims]

I think bite the bullet, who cares anyway these days.

[Sometimes Steffi]

I wouldn't worry. A couple of times I went to physiotherapy with painted toenails knowing full well that it would be exposed to the physical therapist and anyone else in the therapy room at the time. My pedi was so pretty, I didn't want to take it off. I decided to just own it and leave it on. It was a non issue, even when one of my exercises was to pick up marbles between my toes and drop them into a bowl.

There wer a least a couple of other times when I was at the doctors and he told me to take off my shoes and socks. Again, no big deal.

Lat time I went to the dermatologist for a full body scan, I left my toe nail polish on even though I knew my socks were coming off. I actually got nice comments about my nail color from both the GG dermatologist and her GG assistant.

I just don't really care any more, but it's actually protected medical information by law in the US.