Allergic rash and new $200 boots

16 years ago

Last winter I purchased a new pair of really warm and only slightly ugly winter boots. Where we live it gets reeeeeeeeally cold and finding warm boots that I can wear and not look like a construction worker is something. I also don't spend $200 lightly. I will buy one really good pair of boots every 5 or 6 yrs.

Well, I've worn them a few times this year and have developed a ridiculously itchy rash from my ankles down the inside of my foot. I wore them most of last winter without a prob. I have had this sort of rash before (contact dermatitis) but not often and usually on my hands. I've tried benadryl but it doesn't seem to help and of course just gets worse everytime I try to wear the boots.

Any creative suggestions on how I can keep wearing these boots or am I just out $200 bucks and am doomed to cold tootsies?

Featured Answer

sweeby

16 years ago

No offense intended, but could there be any sort of mold or fungus that grew in the boots over the summer? There has to be something your skin is reacting to...

Comments (9)

cat_mom
16 years ago
I'm assuming you wear socks with them (?), maybe try thicker ones if you're wearing thin ones?
mitchdesj
16 years ago
I would experiment with different socks also; there has to be a solution, specially if you wore them last winter with no probs. Does the rash occur if you wear the boots for a longer time and your feet get warm ? for instance, wearing them to a mall and shopping for a few hours ?

100% wool socks seem to keep my feet very dry always; as opposed to cotton or cotton blend socks.
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budge1
Original Author
16 years ago
Okay I'll try the socks. The other thing I was thinking was that maybe it's the detergent I'm using and it's just when I wear the warm boots that my feet react to it.
emagineer
16 years ago
Boots, socks, warm/moist environment? Definitely a rash situation enhanced. Totally different body location, but both my son and husband acquired rediculous rashes in the groin area. Son a few years later not living at home and I asked him what laundry soap he was using. Culprit was Tide...sorry Tide. We have never used it again and no rashes since.

Changing socks is definitely a good suggestion from others. Better hiking socks are a bit expensive, but well worth it and are made to respond to various environments.
cat_mom
16 years ago
I used Tide for my laundry when I was in college (over 20 yrs ago--ouch!). I also used it to wash some delicate items by hand, and ended up with red, itchy hands (don't recall if there was a bumpy rash along with that). Haven't used Tide since.
budge1
Original Author
16 years ago
I am using Tide so will definately change that and sweeby the boots were in the back of a dark closet on our 3rd floor so it could be there was something growing there that I didn't notice but it is quite a dry space ...

Thanks for the advice everyone.
loves2cook4six
16 years ago
Are these UGG boots? Natural sheepskin contains lanolin which some people develop allergies to over time. Wearing them with socks can definitely help.
budge1
Original Author
16 years ago
Not UGG but they are sheepskin. That might be it, but I am happy to report that whatever it was has completely stopped now.

I think sweeby may have been right and whatever it was just wore off after a while. In any case, I'm am a happy camper because we have had an incredibly cold December and I don't know what i'd do without my toasty boots- thank you everyone for your remedies!