Foot(toes) care.

[Wabbit]

I have been barefoot or wearing flip-flops for years. Soon as I got home, socks and shoes off. Well, for last 3 weeks I have had my boots on. I'll say I changed my socks daily, but that is a lie... My toes started getting a bit tender walking a few days ago. Just ignored it, figured maybe with all the walking in just boots it was blisters. Finally yesterday I took my boots off....the smell...(don't judge me! Lol). I cleaned them up with alcohol and handi wipes. They're better today, but I am thinking I will have to clean them daily for awhile to take care of the small ulcers that developed.

Guys that have had this happen before, does that sound about right? It was caught early enough I think. Reading about it they say anti biotics and stuff. Hoping just paying a lil more attention to them for a week or 2 and then after that, take my boots off at night. Embarrassing, but whatever. Kept everything else clean(enuff), forgot about my feet!

 

[29chico]

I have been barefoot or wearing flip-flops for years. Soon as I got home, socks and shoes off. Well, for last 3 weeks I have had my boots on. I'll say I changed my socks daily, but that is a lie... My toes started getting a bit tender walking a few days ago. Just ignored it, figured maybe with all the walking in just boots it was blisters. Finally yesterday I took my boots off....the smell...(don't judge me! Lol). I cleaned them up with alcohol and handi wipes. They're better today, but I am thinking I will have to clean them daily for awhile to take care of the small ulcers that developed.

Guys that have had this happen before, does that sound about right? It was caught early enough I think. Reading about it they say anti biotics and stuff. Hoping just paying a lil more attention to them for a week or 2 and then after that, take my boots off at night. Embarrassing, but whatever. Kept everything else clean(enuff), forgot about my feet!

If by any chance you have diabetes get to a doctor soon.  If by your judgment this is a minor matter see the below.

Tea tree oil is great on many skin infections.  Particularly on the feet as it is super lethal to yeast.  I suggest you put about four drops of tea tree oil on a q-tip and smear all of your toes really well.  Repeat.  Then do the same starting at the base of the toes and back towards the heal a couple of inches.  Repeat.  Then go back to the toes and hit any pink/ painful spots again.  Let everything soak in well before walking or putting anything on your feet.

The reason for all the smearing around is because tea tree oil is trans-dermal, it soaks thru the skin.  This is one of the reasons it works so well.

Tea tree oil is cheap at wally world, and $$$ elsewhere.  Two ounces for 8 bucks and that much will probably last you over a year.   Keep the cover on whenever not actually dispensing as it is rather volatile and will be less effective if you leave the cap off much.

Happy toes!

 

[Wabbit]

I do have tree oil. Bought it for taking care of my beard. Will try your suggestion. They are feeling better already just from airing em out and using alcohol(hand sanitizer) and wipes. Thnx.

 

[SwiftFox]

Have it checked by the doctor, just to be safe. Do not drink any medicine without a prescription of a medical doctor.

 

[Lotsahorses]

The "smell" would indicate it's probably yeast.  Yeast only happens when there is moisture-  damp socks.  Bacteria are in competition with yeast so removing bacteria without removing yeast makes it worse ( many people develop yeast infections following antibiotic use).  Tea tree oil treats both so probably a good choice but a soak in vinegar and water would also work.   Bob covered the importance of foot care in one of his videos.

 

[VanKitten]

I keep a large bottle of apple cider vinegar. It works for both bacteria and fungus. Get the unprocessed, unfiltered stuff. It is a great general purpose cleaner too cleaner. Kills any odors, and when dry there is no odor from the vinegar either.

Costs about $3 for a 32 Oz bottle. Just soak a piece of rag...just enough to wipe down your skin where ever you need it.

 

[Queen]

Once you clear up the fungus/blisters, be sure to wash and dry your feet each day, its the damp environment in your shoes that lets the stuff grow and spread. I was a swimmer and lifeguard for decades, lived in flip flops, but being constantly damp led to all sorts of grotty issues, dry and clean is the key!

 

[TrainChaser]

My brother said after he stopped wearing nylon socks, his feet cleared up. I've never heard that, but I don't wear nylon socks, either, so I don't know of there is a connection.

 

[Queen]

My brother said after he stopped wearing nylon socks, his feet cleared up.  I've never heard that, but I don't wear nylon socks, either, so I don't know of there is a connection.

Think about yeast infections, way worse if you wear nylon panties, natural fibers breathe and minimize infection, feet or crotch.

 

[waldenbound]

Good tips, clean, dry feet. Also don't forget proper fitting footwear. Another thing, when I wore cotton socks, my feet were a smelly mess. I switched to merino wool socks, and my feet are perfect. That's the best way I can describe them.

 

[SternWake]

I had issues when switching from being barefoot 99% of the time, to wearing shoes a lot. Ones callouses basically start rotting.

Get a Pumice stone, soak your feet for a while and scrub your callouses, then clean the stone then go at it again.

The trails up the bluff after a surf session, well i call them toe cheese trails. After I rinse I Use a napkin and wipe between my toes with the same stuff I use in my ears post surf, 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegae and rubbing alcohol.

Also try to keep your bedding clean where your feet reside and wipe your sandals with the rubbing alcohol.

i find hand sanitizer to be effective, but is kind of sticky. prefer using rubbing alcohol, and the 50/50 DWV and Alcohol is even better than either at cleaning, and the DWV smell is gone as soon as it evaporates.

 

[Queen]

Hey SternWake, is that vinegar/alcohol mix good for swimmers ear? I buy the stuff at the pharmacy but it gets spendy when I'm in the water every day.

 

[29chico]

I had issues when switching from being barefoot 99% of the time, to wearing shoes a lot.  Ones callouses basically start rotting.

Get a Pumice stone, soak your feet for a while and scrub your callouses, then clean the stone then go at it again.

The trails up the bluff after a surf session, well i call them toe cheese trails.  After I rinse I Use a napkin and wipe between my toes with the same stuff I use in my ears post surf, 50/50 mix of distilled white vinegae and rubbing alcohol.

Also try to keep your bedding clean where your feet reside and wipe your sandals with the rubbing alcohol.

i find hand sanitizer to be effective, but is kind of sticky.  prefer using rubbing alcohol, and the 50/50 DWV and Alcohol is even better than either at cleaning, and the DWV smell is gone as soon as it evaporates.

Hope that you are using the less common but much safer in the long run ethyl rubbing alcohol.  The more you dig into the issues with Isopropyl  Alcohol the more weird it gets.

Link:

http://www.cvs.com/shop/health-medi...ic/cvs-70-ethyl-rubbing-alcohol-prodid-304659

 

[Wabbit]

It was my foot calluses that basically were rotting off. I bought some cheap dollar store foot powder, cotton socks, walmart disinfectant for spraying inside of boots\shoes(think Lysol), some pot scrubbers, and hand sanitizer. After the first good washing with the pot scrubbers, it got better in a day. Still had basically dead flesh(calluses blackened), but those went away in days.

My feet are turning into baby skin feet...all my calluses are gone. Used to be barefoot all the time, but the area here in Ehrenberg is not a place to be barefoot. Live and learn, but still embarrassing...lol.

 

[SternWake]

the 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and distilled white vinegar was recommended by my ear surgeon and many doctors previous to that. I have surfers ear, where bony growths grow across the ear canal closing it, which then allows ear infections to set in all too easily, also known as swimmers ear.

The bony growths form faster in colder water/air, and I used to surf year round in NJ from age 12 and was always the guy who put on the hood last in late fall and took it off first in late spring.

The alcohol is to dry the water, the vinegar is to leave an acidic coating which does not allow bacteria to get a hold. I've been using this for the last 18 years without issue. But it does not reverse surfer's ear, merely prevents the infections(swimmers ear). I had my left ear drilled out in '08, but could never afford to have the right ear done. Luckily the right ear has only had a few 'events' since the left got drilled.

Others have recommended that isopropyl alcohol and vinegar for this purpose could be bettered by ethyl alcohol and an I think it was boric acid. But it is hard to try something new when what one uses works well. The 'events' I have had, were whenI forgot to use the drops post surf, or simply got water in my ear washing my face.

I have to ensure my earplugs are sterilized before putting them in my ears, I also wipe outer ear canal with my Mix, and use it ASAP after exiting the ocean, and the napkin I use to wipe my ear of the solution then goes to my toes to get portions of the toe cheese trail out of there. The risk of an ear infection is too high if I am not on top of this, and I really fear post rain event surfing here when bacteria levels are super high for 72 hours. When I get an infection I basically go deaf in that ear for at least 2 weeks and can only hear my own heartbeat in it. not fun

I'll look into IPA's dangers, but i've been also using it for sterilization of my cutting board for years, and have not fearful of skin contact.
I also use the 50/50 mix for cleaning the tools I use for laminating with epoxy, though DWV on its own works pretty well at that.

I've been irritated with the price increases of IPA recently

 

[Queen]

Thanks, man. I was a competitive swimmer from 8-15, then a lifeguard and rec swimmer for another 20 years, add in scuba diving and blown eardrums and I definitely feel you. I still swim for fitness and have to use drop every single time now.

 

[eDJ_]

Friends of mine who were in the Military explained, after they returned home,  of how much emphasis their training focused on Foot Care.  Said that they were shown films on "Military Hygiene" that addressed cleaning of their bodies as well as clothing items which were most prone to cause issues.   Socks and underwear were the most common issues.  Tinea Pedis is what we know as Athlete's Foot and Tinea Cruris is the same issue when it effects the groin. (same as Athlete's Foot...just in the groin) These are easily spread fungal infections that are preventable with good hygiene and can be
cured easily enough but better prevented as they are painful and require come time to heal up.

One girl I know who works at the local Veteran's Hospital recently was telling about how no one working or volunteering there were allowed to wear open toed shoes or flip flops. (even though some of the visitors & their kids arrived wearing them)

If you wash the feet and groin carefully and dry properly this will help a lot.   Clean clothing will help prevent this especially in hot weather.   There are numerous anti fungal creams available over the counter that one should consider keeping in their shaving kit. 

It may make an interesting thread to ask what's in your Medicine/First Aid Kit,  in your rig ?

 

[bigsallysmom]

I don't wear the same shoes more than a couple of days in a row. I also take out the insoles so everything can dry better. I put them out in the sun. Toss them in the washer fairly often. Use powder. Wear smart wool socks. When I want to pamper my feet - peppermint foot lotion.

 

[TrainChaser]

My neighbor has had two husbands and five sons. Sooner or later, all of them got athlete's foot fungus. Early on, her sister (a nurse) told her to get a bottle of Gentian Violet. She said it always cleared up the fungus.

Here is some info on using it at WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4397/gentian-violet-topical/details