My feet are "winter tender"
April 10, 2013 10:29 AM Subscribe
How do I speed up the blister -> callus process?
Every spring I go through a period of what I call "winter tender". In essence, my feet are all soft and baby like and blister like a sonofabitch in every pair of summer shoes I own. (ANY shoe that is to be worn barefoot give me epic blisters. Always.) By June or so I usually have developed enough of a callus in the blister spots and my feet are tough enough again that I can get through the rest of the summer with minimal trouble. Up until that point, though, I deal with blisters on my toes, my heels, the top of my feet, etc.
A significant part of my problem, aside from my foot shape, is that I have often sweaty feet. When I'm wearing socks this isn't really an issue. Go barefoot, and it is friction city. Protecting the rub areas with moleskin/bandaids etc isn't something I can keep up every single day all summer. I have the "Blister Block" stick stuff but I don't find that helps much. Putting powder/corn starch/etc never works either. I just end up with white pasty feet and shoes. Building up calluses is my best option.
Is there anything I can do to speed this up? Is there a way to speed up the development of calloses?
And yes, I know, if my shoes all fit properly I shouldn't be getting blisters. The problem is that I have remarkably difficult feet to fit in shoes, so shoes never really properly fit. I don't have the money for custom shoes or extra fancy pants shoes or special things, and I live in a fairly back-woodsy area in Canada no where near any place that would carry the types and selection of shoes I need. Online shoe shopping isn't really practical because I am so difficult to fit that I would constantly be sending everything back. Finding shoes that fit in person in a shoe store where I can try everything on is extremely hit and miss. Last summer I went on an EPIC quest for sport sandals that would fit and not give me blisters but even they did and I had to develop calluses. I am actually going on a trip to the states in a month to attempt to find shoes for my wedding that don't destroy me but I am extremely doubtful that I'll find anything.
So suggestions on getting shoes that fit is obvious but not especially helpful.
Every spring I go through a period of what I call "winter tender". In essence, my feet are all soft and baby like and blister like a sonofabitch in every pair of summer shoes I own. (ANY shoe that is to be worn barefoot give me epic blisters. Always.) By June or so I usually have developed enough of a callus in the blister spots and my feet are tough enough again that I can get through the rest of the summer with minimal trouble. Up until that point, though, I deal with blisters on my toes, my heels, the top of my feet, etc.
A significant part of my problem, aside from my foot shape, is that I have often sweaty feet. When I'm wearing socks this isn't really an issue. Go barefoot, and it is friction city. Protecting the rub areas with moleskin/bandaids etc isn't something I can keep up every single day all summer. I have the "Blister Block" stick stuff but I don't find that helps much. Putting powder/corn starch/etc never works either. I just end up with white pasty feet and shoes. Building up calluses is my best option.
Is there anything I can do to speed this up? Is there a way to speed up the development of calloses?
And yes, I know, if my shoes all fit properly I shouldn't be getting blisters. The problem is that I have remarkably difficult feet to fit in shoes, so shoes never really properly fit. I don't have the money for custom shoes or extra fancy pants shoes or special things, and I live in a fairly back-woodsy area in Canada no where near any place that would carry the types and selection of shoes I need. Online shoe shopping isn't really practical because I am so difficult to fit that I would constantly be sending everything back. Finding shoes that fit in person in a shoe store where I can try everything on is extremely hit and miss. Last summer I went on an EPIC quest for sport sandals that would fit and not give me blisters but even they did and I had to develop calluses. I am actually going on a trip to the states in a month to attempt to find shoes for my wedding that don't destroy me but I am extremely doubtful that I'll find anything.
So suggestions on getting shoes that fit is obvious but not especially helpful.
I don't know if this speeds up the callous process, but it's what I do: Rather than wear my new summer shoes all day long on my tender feet, I'll try to wear them around the house, etc for just a bit (until something starts to hurt or whatever). The next day I might do this with another pair. I basically just break them in gradually until I feel I can go a full day in them.
posted by kirst27 at 10:40 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by kirst27 at 10:40 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
It sounds weird, but try putting wet tea bags on the tender spots. The tannins in the tea toughen the skin just like when they are used in tanning leather. I find that black tea works best for me especially when treating a spot where a previous blister has left an unprotected layer of new skin.
I wet the tea with just enough warm or hot water to get it really wet without being drippy and leave it on for around 20 minutes. Sometimes it takes more than one application, but it really makes a difference for me.
posted by the_shrike at 10:45 AM on April 10, 2013 [7 favorites]
I wet the tea with just enough warm or hot water to get it really wet without being drippy and leave it on for around 20 minutes. Sometimes it takes more than one application, but it really makes a difference for me.
posted by the_shrike at 10:45 AM on April 10, 2013 [7 favorites]
Apparently you can soak your feet in tannic acid to help toughen the skin. This is sort of a home remedy and I have no idea how actually effective it is, but I have in the past successfully toughened skin on my toe using tannic acid.
posted by Ouisch at 10:52 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ouisch at 10:52 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Funny this was asked. I was on an island yesterday with a nice little hike but I only had my nice dress shoes. I recalled that when I was kid I used to be able to walk on our gravel driveway barefoot with no problems. So I just went barefoot on the rocks. My feet were a little sore, but I think the callouses are starting to build.
You might try walking around outside in places where you are fairly confident there is no glass--like on rough concrete, dirt and rocks. Be careful though. Before your feet get tougher, you'll have to choose your steps carefully.
Alternatively, you can do like I do (also a sweaty footer) when I play basketball. Just plenty of talcum powder (Gold Bond or what have you) into your feet.
posted by SpicyMustard at 10:53 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
You might try walking around outside in places where you are fairly confident there is no glass--like on rough concrete, dirt and rocks. Be careful though. Before your feet get tougher, you'll have to choose your steps carefully.
Alternatively, you can do like I do (also a sweaty footer) when I play basketball. Just plenty of talcum powder (Gold Bond or what have you) into your feet.
posted by SpicyMustard at 10:53 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Came in to suggest wearing them around the house before it warms up enough to wear them outside, but I see that kirst27 has beaten me too it. Yes, do that. I started wearing flip flops around my house last night to prep my feet for wearing them on vacation in three weeks. Highly suggest doing the same with your wedding shoes. Best of luck!
posted by hungrybruno at 10:53 AM on April 10, 2013
posted by hungrybruno at 10:53 AM on April 10, 2013
Response by poster: You might try walking around outside in places where you are fairly confident there is no glass--like on rough concrete, dirt and rocks. Be careful though. Before your feet get tougher, you'll have to choose your steps carefully.
The problem isn't the bottom of my feet. I go barefoot inside all winter long (I loathe socks), and am barefoot outside in my yard all the time. We have a gravel driveway and it is a total non-issue. The bottoms of my feet are badass. I have stepped on a piece of lego on the floor and it wasn't a big deal. It is the toes, sides and tops of my feet that are the problem.
Re. wearing them inside to break them in, I have been trying to do that. I *thought* I had broken them in enough, at least for one specific pair of shoes, but maaaaaaaan... wore them yesterday and it was brutal. Clearly I didn't do it for long enough.
I will try the black tea thing. Sounds odd but I'm willing to try anything.
Keep the suggestions coming!
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:02 AM on April 10, 2013
The problem isn't the bottom of my feet. I go barefoot inside all winter long (I loathe socks), and am barefoot outside in my yard all the time. We have a gravel driveway and it is a total non-issue. The bottoms of my feet are badass. I have stepped on a piece of lego on the floor and it wasn't a big deal. It is the toes, sides and tops of my feet that are the problem.
Re. wearing them inside to break them in, I have been trying to do that. I *thought* I had broken them in enough, at least for one specific pair of shoes, but maaaaaaaan... wore them yesterday and it was brutal. Clearly I didn't do it for long enough.
I will try the black tea thing. Sounds odd but I'm willing to try anything.
Keep the suggestions coming!
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:02 AM on April 10, 2013
As well as the black tea thing, I have a friend who swore by rubbing alcohol used the same way. (i.e. a cotton ball of rubbing alcohol smeared around on the area her sandal straps were going to rub, every day for a week, every spring.) Tea sounds like more fun, personally, though I have no proof of the effectiveness of either.
posted by aimedwander at 11:12 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by aimedwander at 11:12 AM on April 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Be aware that you can potentially develop debilitating callouses your feet. These are called corns and people end up working quite hard to treat or get rid of them because they can press on nerves and cause excruciating pain.
You are better off trying to modify your footwear than your feet.
posted by srboisvert at 11:23 AM on April 10, 2013
You are better off trying to modify your footwear than your feet.
posted by srboisvert at 11:23 AM on April 10, 2013
For the sweating, try putting some deodorant on your feet before bed.
posted by michellenoel at 11:32 AM on April 10, 2013
posted by michellenoel at 11:32 AM on April 10, 2013
Response by poster: I'm going to assume you mean antipersperant, not deoderant. ;)
And that is actually a good idea and makes sense. I may try that.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:36 AM on April 10, 2013
And that is actually a good idea and makes sense. I may try that.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:36 AM on April 10, 2013
As soon as I see where a tender spot will be I put liquid bandaid. It's the only thing that stays on for me. It's often enough. You have to put it on as early as possible though.
posted by Salamandrous at 5:39 PM on April 10, 2013
posted by Salamandrous at 5:39 PM on April 10, 2013
Soak your feet in water with alum. This is the only reference I found, but as a kid, all the newly-minted ballerinas swore by this when they first graduated to en pointe.
posted by instamatic at 7:02 PM on April 10, 2013
posted by instamatic at 7:02 PM on April 10, 2013
Posting to second rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit), which I used to toughen feet for pointe work in ballet, where it's traditional.
posted by lokta at 3:17 PM on April 16, 2013
posted by lokta at 3:17 PM on April 16, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
I stick the moleskin patches directly onto the offending area of the shoe. It's not a permanent fix, but generally by the time the patches wear out/get gross/fall off, my foot has accustom'd itself to the shoe and it's not so bad. This is really for my toes and tops of feet.
I also tend to just wear socks with more things than I probably should, or wear shoes that are backless, because I have sensitive and weird-shaped achilles tendons that blister up like a mother.
posted by phunniemee at 10:39 AM on April 10, 2013