Sandals and crusty feet at work

Ah but the difference is that I wouldn’t even notice your feet or whatever, much less judge, because I mind my own business and I honestly am
not sufficiently interested in others.

Live your life and let others do the same. If you can’t go out without judging people then it’s for you to deal with. It does not make you a better person than them.

Well, what are you going to do about someone choosing to pick their nose, dear? Reprimand the person for picking their nose, or look away?

I know what I would do.

See, that's a YOU problem. Not the toe-owner's problem to solve.

But nobody has claimed being dirty or leaving themselves with injured skin is a good idea. It's a difference of opinion over what constitutes "self-care" and where that tips over from hygiene into grooming.

I've never had a pedicure, I've never treated my feet with anything. If there is dry skin on my feet that's left over from showering and drying then it isn't noticeable to me and if it's noticeable to anyone else I don't care. That's not me not taking care of myself or failing to perform anything basic.

It's no different to my face. I use no skincare because I'm not interested. I have rosacea which is untreated and sometimes flares up. I'm sure my red bumpy face is offensive to some and seen as not taking care of myself but it's clean and washed so what anyone else judges it as is their problem.

We aren’t talking about being dirty - we are talking about being aesthetically unpleasing to some people. Why can’t people understand that?

If you shower, wash/brush your hair and wear clean clothes that are appropriate to the environment you are in every day then the rest is just cosmetic and shows a certain amount of insecurity from
those posters who judge.

If ‘pampering’ is your thing then great. Buy your wanky soaps and products and pay people to administer ‘treatments’. I’m would genuinely rather stick pins in my eyes than do that but I’m an adult and as such I understand that people are into different things.

If your entire self worth is tied up with having your feet perfectly pedicured and every inch of skin moisturised or whatever, then that’s fine. It’s a shame that you feel that insecure but we all have our issues.

If you were happy in yourselves then it wouldn’t bother you,

@Anarchy99 are you deliberately mis-reading my posts that have absolutely nothing to do with being aesthetically pleasing and are all about good health and self-care?

I haven't seen that claim made on this thread, but I may have missed something.

Personally for me, hairy toes are f'ing ugly. Them being clean wouldn't change that.

@Anarchy99 are you deliberately mis-reading my posts that have absolutely nothing to do with being aesthetically pleasing and are all about good health and self-care?

For sure @hecalledmecaptain . I have psoriasis myself. I don't see specific health conditions, disabilities and deformities as what this thread was really about. I also don't think that people with health conditions, disabilities and deformities do look "horrendous" either.

My points are addressing the claims that basic grooming is somehow performative or for others and not necessary for good health.

When we are babies and small children or very old, other people help us take care of being clean and in good condition because that is considered to be important. Yes, we all sweat, we all poo, we all have dead skin but if we soil ourselves, reek of stale BO and are covered in dandruff or crusty skin that is not a good thing. And if you left a child or elderly person uncleaned and unkempt, that would be considered neglect. If we have a pet, we would be reported for animal neglect / cruelty if we didn't get toenails clipped, hooves shod or failed to groom coats etc.

Yet there always seem to be posters on MN for whom personal grooming of the most basic kind is seen as only done as a performance for others, rather than fulfilling a fundamental requirement for good health.

Being clean and ensuring that the skin on your feet or anywhere else on your body is healthy and well looked after is a GOOD thing - not an indulgence.

I haven't seen that claim made on this thread, but I may have missed something.

Personally for me, hairy toes are f'ing ugly. Them being clean wouldn't change that.

Without wanting to speak for the pp you were addressing, personally I'd have to bite my tongue to stop myself telling them it's disgusting to do that in public. I'd definitely consider letting my facial expression convey my thoughts.

Incidentally why do you keep calling people dear? It's very patronising.

people are complaining that others have hairy toes

under what reality are hairy toes unhygienic toes?

Well, what are you going to do about someone choosing to pick their nose, dear? Reprimand the person for picking their nose, or look away?

I know what I would do.

We don't agree. Ensuring that your feet are in perfect condition is a public good as well as a personal hygiene matter.

My husband had an Achilles tendon repair. Six months later he was at the dentist and she could tell by looking in his mouth that he'd had an accident and sent him straight off to the osteopath to realign his body and jaw before even more damage was done to his teeth.

You are very wrong. Talk to orthopedic surgeons and they know exactly why proper foot care (including foot exercises) is fantastically supportive of knees and hips etc. Talk to dentists and they know exactly why proper foot care supports the jaw and teeth. The way feet are placed on the ground and the proper alignment of muscles, tendons etc is critical to bodily function and the reduction of pointless wear and tear.

people are complaining that others have hairy toes

under what reality are hairy toes unhygienic toes?

I'm interested to wonder at which point you would stop saying 'avert your gaze' and start expecting people to show a bit of decorum in public. People adjusting their bits in public?

So we agree that not exfoliating or moisturising your feet isn’t bankrupting the NHS, then?

And I’m not sure dentists are exactly the best people to advise on foot care but I guess if they’re happy to talk to you about it then crack on!

Really? Why though?