Kinoki: The Company That Started It All

• Many consumers may recall late-night infomercials and pervasive Internet ads hawking Kinoki foot pads, which purportedly removed toxins through the soles of the feet. The foot patches resembled bandages, which consumers wore as they slept. Once removed, the foot pads had turned dark gray--allegedly proof that toxins had been removed. According to Federal Trade Commission transcripts, Kinoki Detox Cleansing Foot Pads purported to remove a host of undesirable elements from the feet, including heavy metals, parasites, chemicals and even cellulite from other parts of the body. Kinoki assured consumers that the foot pads cured depression, fatigue, diabetes and high blood pressure--all for $19.99 plus shipping. According to the FTC, the foot pads contained bamboo vinegar and "detox herbs."
  
  

Foot Pads: 20/20 Expose

• The concept of body detox through the feet became instant fodder for ABC's "20/20," which aired an expose of foot detox in April 2008. Foot pads marketed by Kinoki and Avon were used in a study to see if they really did remove toxins. Laboratory tests conducted by NMS Labs indicated that no heavy metals or solvents could be found on the used pads. Dr. George Friedman-Jimenez, director of the Bellevue/New York University Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic, said that users who said they felt better using foot pads to "detox" experienced a simple placebo effect. "The idea that they're drawing toxins through the skin out of the body in any significant amount, I think is just wrong," Friedman-Jimenez said.
  
  

NPR Coverage

• Following on the heels of the "20/20" report, NPR reporter Sarah Varney launched her own investigation into foot detox with similar results. Guest commentator Dr. James Seward of the University of California-Berkeley's School of Public Health stated that toxins are eliminated through the kidneys and intestinal tract through urination and defecation; however, it's not possible to draw them out of the skin of the feet.
  
  

Detox Foot Baths

• In tandem with detox food pads were the marketing and sale of products such as the Aqua Detox foot bath, which promised "ionic cleansing" of the body. Consumers placed their feet in a swirling bowl of salt water, after which the water turns brown, purportedly the release of "toxins." The foot bath hoax was revealed by Ben Goldacre of the Guardian Unlimited, who discovered that the water color was changed due to the corrosion of electrodes as salt water passed through the device. Some marketers of similar products readily admit that the water changes due to electrode conversion, but now emphasize that the bath "balances" and "energizes" the body--claims that cannot be measured scientifically.
  
  

Foot Detox: The FTC & FDA

• The FTC and Food and Drug Administration, which protect consumers against health fraud, have made slow but steady progress in curtailing foot detox product sales and imports in the United States. In January 2009, the FTC issued an injunction against Kinoki for making claims that its foot pads removed toxic materials from the body. In June 2009, the FDA refused an import of Ion-Cleanse Total Detox Foot Bath units due to product misbranding. However, as soon as one company is shut down, another takes its place, selling the same products and making the same claims.
  
  

The Truth Behind Foot Detox

• Unfortunately for the consumer public, the concept of body detox through the feet is not only flawed, but implausible. However, these items are still quite lucrative sellers for Internet marketers who prey on the uneducated. Any product or device that promotes foot detox should be considered a scam. If you've purchased a foot detox product that makes impossible claims, you can lodge a consumer complaint against the company with the FTC.