How to prevent skin reaction from wearing Crocs

I am a BIG croc's fan and wear them, almost exclusively. They are very easy to care for (the dishwasher is the ideal place to wash them!), comfortable, and distinctive! I wear them year-round, and in the winter wear the ones w/o holes and put on heavy socks.
I would suggest either thin socks or powder and frequent cleaning. Also, they suggest using "croc butter" on the shoes to keep them in good condition--look at the croc website for more info. You might be able to ask customer service a question about the allergic reaction you child is experiencing via their website as well.
Did you know there are croc outlet stores at Lake Ozark and Branson! They are fantastic and inexpensive there, as compared to the prices you pay at regular retail stores in the city-sometimes as low as 4.99 to 9.99 per pair for some of the "wilder" colors!
Hope things go better for you little one with his crocs--believe me, I understand why he loves them! J.

I would try keeping them really clean (could they go in the top rack of the dishwasher every night, after rinsing?) and putting some powder inside before he puts them on. My youngest had a problem with sweaty feet. Her toes would peel and look horrible. In fact, her toes turned green. I took her to a dermatologist (after her ped. was dumbfounded) and they said it was a fungus that they only see in older adults who spend too much time in a hot tub! I had to only put her in canvas shoes from then on. But I used some athlete's foot powder in her shoes. I can't remember the name... tinactin??? She's 19 now, so it's been a long time! :o)

stupid question, but, have you tried cleaning them with different products? maybe whatever you're cleaning them with is irritating his skin. (by the way i was one of those moms who swore her son would NEVER wear crocs, i thought they were totally girlie and couldn't stand seeing little boys in them, until my sitter was naughty and bought my son a pair - LOVE THEM! i never knew how simple they were to get on and off, and how easy they were to clean - i have to clean my son's about two or three times a week because he is a mud magnet, but that's what makes them so great...so low maintenance!) i've never worn them myself but to me they do seem like they could be kind of sweaty and hot...maybe the plastic just doesn't agree with his feet. you might have to make them disappear...good luck!

It sounds like an allergic reaction to me. It could be an allergy to latex (the crocs company does not say what their shoes are made of) or the antimicrobial solution they use on the shoes, or even a non-shoe related food allergy that just shows up on his feet. Weird, I know, but I had a friend with a child that had that happen. He was allergic to milk, but it affected only his feet. I would have a dermatologist look at his feet to tell you for sure. But more than likely, they'll tell you to have him stop wearing the shoes. I know how hard that is because my daughter only wants to wear crocs too. Good luck!

You might want to consider striking up a deal with him - 1 day with crocs and 1 day with real socks & tennies. There are a number of articles I've read that say crocs shouldn't be worn as the sole shoe option by active children - that they don't provide the right support. However, they're certainly better than flip-flops and I understand the huge benfit of your son actually wanting to wear them!

I think you have some very good advice here:
-Get real crocs so they're anti-microbial
-Wash them regularly
-Get him to wear ankle socks with them
-Pamper his feet, powder and lotion with vit. E

And if it still doesn't clear up, I'd take him to the Dr. and inquire about allergies.

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/kids-and-crocs-sh...

Good Morning S., not to scare you at all, I saw a email sent pertaining to crocs and flip flaps made in either japan or china that were causing some serious foot problems.
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/w/wal-mart-flipflops...

I personally do not like crocs for children. Our gr kids have some and the younger ones fall down a lot when running they just don't stay one well. I would (I DID) get some regular sandals with Velcro straps.

Anyway stop him from wearing them, his feet should heal up if you do.

God Bless and have a Fun summer with Baseball. I loved those years :)

K. Nana of 5

My kids like Crocs, too, but we haven't had any trouble with this problem. I do know you can wash them in the dishwasher on the top shelf. I've done this with ours a few times. If there is a fungus growing in his shoes, the hot water and dishwashing detergent (it contains bleach) may help??? It doesn't seem to hurt the shoes and I think you can do it as often as you like. Good Luck!

S., it could be that he had the athletes foot before and the crocs are drying it out. If they are the real crocs then he's not getting the foot infection from them, they have a special anit-microbial material to keep that from happening. When myself or my husband has gotten athletes foot, it tends to be red and when we start wearing sandals or crocs it starts to dry out and flake off. Have him powder up and if he's wearing walmart or payless brand crocs then you might consider getting the real ones. Our girls wear their crocs throughout the summer and have never had problems. Hope this helps. Good luck and God Bless.

I have very tender feet and can't stand walking on pebble beaches. On one of our vacations we ended up in an area that had only pebble beaches and I suffered. At the supermarket I happened to see some knock off Crocs and thought they would be good for getting in and out of the sea and they were. I didn't know what Crocs were. These were made in China and dirt cheap. I planned on throwing them out when we returned home. I still have them and use them for washing my very slippery balconies. I never had any foot problem.

Last year, I decided to splurge and buy the real thing. They are expensive and I thought that at that price they would be made out of safer products. Last year and this I had a bad case of Athelete's Foot. It started out with itching and ended up with a large sore that covered the foot arch. Sounds worse than it actually feels but it didn't hurt all that much. I am using an Athelete's Foot cream treatment along with smothering my feet in Vaseline before going to bed to get rid of the peeling skin. My feet don't sweat and the Crocks are very well ventilated. I only wear them while at home or shopping and have a habit of placing my feel on the top of the Crocs when sitting in the car so I don't think it's a matter of dampness.

Someone told me to use a fungus powder in the Crocs before wearing them as a means of preventing any future problems and washing them after each use with some antibacterial soap. I will try them again after the foot rash is cured and see what happens.

When I first saw them I swore I would never wear anything so unfeminine but once you put them on your feet you wish you could wear them everywhere!

I've been to many hospitals these past years with Mom and noticed that all the doctors and nurses are wearing them!

http://www.jellyegg.com/crocs_and_you/hospital.aspx

I have what sounds like the same problem with my feet. I'm not sure what it is. Whenever summer time comes around and I start to wear my flip-flops, crocs and other summer shoes the skin starts peeling off my toes mostly on the bottom of them. Sometime it even hurts. I've tried all kinds of stuff and I haven't found anything that helps. The only thing I have found that help is if I switch between my tennis shoes and my summer shoes when it starts to get bad i just switch shoes. I seen taht someone else mentioned that they have to find shoes that are cloth covered. That may have someting to do with it. I notice that if I wear my socks with my crocs then I don't have any problems. Sorry that I don't have any advice. If you figure out what it is please let me know.

It may be an allergy to the material in the crocs. Try letting him wear them around the house with socks and see if it improves.

Try sprinklling a little power in his shoes, or baking soda - neither will hurt his feet, but can absorb the moisture he's creating wearing them - while his feet are peeling try puttting a little vitamin E cream on them at night -

My kids love crocs as well. I love how easy they are to put on. My 5 year old daughter and my 23 month old are getting blisters from them. I have them wear socks with them, which looks really silly. Good luck.

Are they real crocs? The real ones have an antibacterial product on them and the copy cats do not. Hope that helps

My son has the same reaction to any shoe that is not covered in fabric and his foot is in direct contact with the "rubber or plastic" part of the shoe.

I have to hunt down summer sandals that have fabric lined.

If he insists on wearing them, I would have him wear the ultra low socks.

Hi, this is a bit late for your question. I had the same experience starting in 2005. Crocs started burning my feet like crazy after wearing them only 10 seconds. Through trial and error, latex testing (negative) patch testing for shoe allergens, I came up positive for isothiazolinone, or one of its derivatives. It is a biocide and fungicide and I am pretty sure it is the secret anti fungus ingredient in crocs, although they totally won't say. Unfortunately it is a common ingredient in shoe adhesives, and byproduct in rubber products, paints, materials, and pool water - very ubiquitous. I am quite allergic now to all of these things. I had a cut and staph infection on my foot at the time, and I think it allowed more of this chemical to enter my body, thus my strong reaction. So I would definitely keep them well away from you son before he develops a more global allergy. Good luck!

expensIve years old. I love Crocs Shoes I am also diabetic, I wear the Crocs for people that are diabetic. After wearing them for several years my foot started getting red, and would peel. Then I got an infection in my foot I was in the hospital for three days . I had to take one antibiotic after another. But my foot ever stopped peeling after two two month the infection came back this time I was in the hospital 5 days. More antibiotis, steroid cream, antibiotic ointment, this has been going on for 10 months now. Nothing I have tried will stop the red peeling foot are I should say feet it has now gone to both feet I told my doctor that I thought it was from my Crocs. I have not wore any shoes now for two weeks and still have very red peeling feet that hurt all the time. I have used bleach not used bleach stopped taking all of the meds one at a time for a week at a time used diffrent washing powers been to four diffrent doctors but nothing works s If anyone has an idea let me know Ihave tried every cream and onitment even Witch Hazel but

I am actually allergic to the stuff they use to treat the CROCS to prevent athletes foot. I wore them one summer whenever I would go out and garden, or just run to the store. I started getting this little red blisters between my toes, and the skin would get dry and peel all around my toes. I went to a dermatologist and they tested the skin for infections of any kind, and found nothing, they deemed it eczema. Well, I do have eczema, but had never had that before so I wondered what would have provoked it, as eczema is usually accompanied by something causing an allergic reaction... so I went through anything and everything new I had tried in the last few months. I narrowed it down to the CROCS, stopped wearing them, and soaked my feet in salt water for a few weeks and it all cleared up.

If he is having the same thing the only thing that is going to make it go away is to take away the shoes. He may love them, but I doubt he is going to love having open sores that are only getting worse on them. I would just explain to him that it will cause sores, that can get infected, and cause him to get sick. Most kids are learning about those things like crazy in schools right now because of all the viruses going around. I am sure he will understand.

I would try getting some Tinactin spray for his feet and spray it on his feet at night before he goes to bed so that it has time to work between the crocs being on!