I've got a bad case of stink-foot?

Question

I was wondering if it's OK to just go bare foot around town and Walmart and such until it heals up. I went camping last weekend with my pals and was wearing my old high top tennis shoes and they got muddy and wet and I didn't even take them off until Sunday so I guess I never thought about my feet being wet all weekend and I developed a bad case of peeling, rotten feet. They smell horrible and I've been pouring peroxide on them off the back deck which stops the itching and smell for awhile but the minute I put on shoes they burn and smell like old road kill. Wouldn't it be better to just go barefoot than have my feet smell up the inside of a food store? They really stink to high heaven but when I go barefoot they just look all flakey and red but don't smell too bad. They tend to get dirty with no shoes but what's worse?

Answer 1

Amputate them dude....

Answer 2

It is true that going barefoot is good for your feet, especially if you have athlete's foot, which it sounds like you do. Athlete's foot is a fungus; it loves to grow in warm, dark, damp places like closed shoes, it's *really* bad for your feet to keep your shoes on all weekend -did you even fall asleep wearing your wet, muddy sneakers? Eeeew, don't do that again, that's asking for trouble! If you keep your feet bare as much as possible, and wear flipflops when that's not an option, then chances are the fungus will mostly dry up and die. It doesn't do so well on the surface of a bare foot, exposed to the light and fresh air.

Also the advise to pee on your feet is not a joke; that really can help. Or simply go to your local pharmacy and ask for an over-the-counter med against athlete's foot. Then avoid all closed footwear as much as you can and you should be okay. Remember your tennis shoes will also be full of the fungus spores; dry them out well and treat them with disinfectant. Dry out *all* footwear well between wearings; even sandals can get damp underneath the straps if you wear them every waking moment.

As for going barefoot in stores, it is NOT illegal to go into stores barefoot even in the US, please see source. Some stores will have a store policy against going barefoot but I happen to know Walmart does not have a corporate policy against that either, and while it may seem 'all stores' have no shoes, no shirts, no service signs, in fact many stores really don't have such signs nor care about footwear.

Now if you have bad athlete's foot as you do, it would be courteous to be cautious about spreading it to others, and wear flipflops in places where others go barefoot too until you get the worst of it cleared up. Although these spores don't live very long on a dry store floor; they're usually picked up in locker room floors and pools not only because those are places where many people go barefoot briefly before putting their feet back into closed shoes, but also because that's where you tend to have the wet/damp floors that the fungus needs to live long enough for someone else to step on it. On a dry floor such as you will find in a store or mall, the spores die very quickly so unless you have another barefoot person follow soon after you, it's not likely you'll infect anyone. So apart from locker rooms, pools, shared showers, beach side businesses etc, the risk of you infecting anyone is pretty low even if you do go barefoot there.

Answer 3

It sounds like you have athlete's foot, which is caused by a fungus. Judging by the smell of your shoes as you've described, the fungus is most likely in your shoes and your skin. Even if you kill it on your feet, when you wear those shoes again you will most likely reinfect yourself. So the best thing to do is get rid of those shoes. I'm not saying that you shouldn't wear shoes; just don't wear THOSE shoes.

Now, for the foot problem. I'm not sure if peroxide is good enough. A good over-the-counter product is Lamisil cream. If you follow the directions this should get rid of much of the problem. Make sure you wash your feet daily and dry them thoroughly. Don't use lotion as the previous person suggested; this will make your feet more susceptible to the fungus. The cream will do enough for your symptoms. Wash your hands after touching your feet and don't use the same towel that you used on your feet for other parts of your body. Also, disinfect your shower with a bleach product or Lysol. Lamisil is supposed to take two weeks for full effect. If this doesn't work, see a dermatologist, who can prescribe some more serious internal solutions for your problem. Another possibility is gentian violet, but I would only recommend this as a last resort because it will dye your skin and anything it touches bright purple. But it is effective if you can tolerate it. Fungi thrive in warm, wet environments. Make sure you also wash your socks with bleach to kill the fungus in your socks so that you don't get reinfected that way.

As for going barefoot in a store, it's usually forbidden by store policies.

Answer 4

No, not okay to walk around public places barefoot.

Get a good pair of thick 100% cotton socks and well-fitting shoes. Don't let your feet touch synthetic material.

Several times a day, wash your feet with soap and water. Dry them thoroughly. Rub in some foot lotion until it is totally rubbed in. Douse your feet with powder. Then put on a fresh pair of 100% cotton socks (change them as often as you wash). And PUT YOUR SHOES ON.

At home, feel free to go barefoot. In areas where it's acceptable, go barefoot. But no, in restaurants, grocery stores, shopping centers, etc., don't go barefoot. Just take CARE of your feet.


LOL Yes, someone suggested you pee on your feet. Urine = ammonia. Ammonia is good for fighting bacteria. It's also what you would need to do if you were stung by a jellyfish and were not right by a hospital when it happened. It makes the pain recede.

Totally serious. Look it up.

Answer 5

Use sandals, or flip-flops and instead of going to the store go to a doctor: it could be that you have a fungus or bacterial infection that peroxide isn't strong enough to cure. Throw those shoes into the wash; if you can't so that, then throw them out. If you won't go to a doctor, then go to a drug store like Eckerd, Walgreens or Rite Aid, wearing your sandals or flip-flops, and go to the foot care isle to purchase a remedy for those feet. You'll have lots to choose from. Also, keep the feet dry, when you have to wear shoes, always use clean white socks with a foot deodorizer in them. Wash them with anti-bacterial soap and then use at least talcum powder or baby powder. Good luck! :)

Answer 6

its bacteria -- pee is a remedy if you don't want to buy something for it -- another great trick is blow dry them with just air -- the bacteria only survive well in low oxygen enviornments. if you have a grandma with an oxygen tank that is even better.

its not acceptable to run around barefoot -- sorry. try to keep shoes and socks off your feet as much as possible.

Answer 7

Actually it is illegal to go to any public building barefoot.

Try some Gold Bond powder. Put some in your shoes as well. Crocs, the shoes that have open holes in them, would be a good possible use, or maybe flip-flops.

Answer 8

use alcohol every night after you shower/bath and each morning. that will rid you of the smell.

Answer 9

flip flops or very open sandals

Answer 10

when you are taking a shower, pee on them. seriously.