Shoes protect your feet from pollution, irritants and other impurities. But, can you believe that shoes can trigger allergic reaction? Instead of giving comfort, inappropriate shoes can cause injury and thwart your weight loss attempt. Apart from this, it may stimulate allergic symptoms.
We all knew that shoes are made of different materials and chemicals. These irritants when come in contact with your sensitive skin, chemical reaction erupts leading to allergy symptoms. Studies reveal that shoe allergy often leads to contact dermatitis.
Symptoms of Shoe Allergy
Allergy may trigger within few days or hours of wearing your new pair of shoes. Experts hold chemicals, dyes and fabrics to be the root cause of this allergy. A study carried in 2007 reveals those culprits. (1)
- Adhesive – p-tert-butylphenol-formaldehyde resin
- Leather components – Potassium dichromate
- Rubber materials – Carba mix
- Dyes (PPD)
- Metal components (nickel, sulfate, cobalt chloride)
The battle between your immune system and these chemical irritants results in infection. Contact dermatitis is common and rashes develop at-once or after some time. Symptoms range from mild to severe, few of them are as follows:
- Experts say that infection normally starts from the big tone and slowly spread to surface of the foot. Dermatitis may also develop on the sole of the foot, side of the foot and may affect legs.
- Swelling, redness, blisters and crackers are few notable signs of contact dermatitis.
- You may also experience burning sensation, itchiness and pain.
- Experts say that the shoe allergies develop over a course of time, your feet gets exposed to allergens repeatedly in this time period. It may take months to years in some cases.
Above signs may not seem serious. But, the person who affected faces distress, isolated and pain.
Dermnetnz.org states that it’s difficult to diagnosis shoe contact dermatitis, because there are a bunch of things that need to be ruled out. Which include bacterial infection, fungal infection, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and cosmetic contact dermatitis. Dermatologists carry a patch test to diagnose the potential allergen that triggered the infection.
Treatment and Precaution
- Once it is confirmed that the allergic reaction is due to the shoe then first and foremost thing is, stop wearing the shoe.
- If the allergy is mild enough then you can apply cold compress to that area.
- Avoid using any kind of lotions, creams or soap.
- Avoid scratching, rubbing and pouring hot water on the effected area.
- If the allergy id severe then do consult the doctor immediately, he might prescribe you anti histamine.
- Try to find out which type of material is causing you allergy and then avoid those type of shoes.
- If you cannot stop wearing shoes then do wear thick socks to avoid allergy.
- Limit time period of wearing shoes.
- Do not wear shoes when doing sports activities.
Note
- Don’t try to treat shoe allergy at home. You must first take doctor’s prescription. If the infection is mild, then you can try home remedies to relieve from itching and inflammation.
- Keep calm and don’t get depressed.
- Avoid wearing shoes that irritate your skin.
- You can use topical creams to heal blisters and rashes.
- For mild shoe allergy, soak you feet in warm water mixed with Epsom salt.