Manufacturers of detoxification foot patches are claiming that they can radically improve your health. And this is done while you sleep. The toxins are supposedly pulled from your body with ingredients such as distilled bamboo vinegar. The idea of this is not scientifically plausible.
There are claims that these foot pads are used widely in Asian countries but there have not been any studies into the use of foot pads. At the beginning of 2008, an urgent warning was released in the US by the FDA. This was about the potential risk of detox foot patches from several brands. They said "basically, when we open up a case it means that the violation might be in terms of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, such as when (product makers) make false, misleading claims."
Tests have been carried out since to see if heavy metals were present in the used pads. None were found. In these tests, there was no difference between the used pads (the ones that had apparently drawn all the toxins out of the body) and the new ones. The toxic sucking foot pads didn't work.
Detoxification can only really take place in with the liver and kidneys working in conjunction. The skin's main job is to help keep your body a regular temperature. Elimination of toxins is usually done through urine and faeces. Maybe these foot pads are aimed at people who are incapable of this kind of elimination.
I suppose that when a person takes the foot pad off in the morning and it is discovered there would be a presumption that it has worked. There is also a bad smell which would also indicate that the pad has done its job. If you hold the pad over steaming water it will discolor.
