Sandals and crusty feet at work

[Offherrockingchair]

AIBU to think that walking sandals and flip flops are not professional workwear? Yes, it’s been ridiculously hot, but I don’t want to see brittle yellow toenails, crusty dry skin and, in one case, flakes and chunks of skin hanging off the manky trotters of my colleagues 🤮 At the very least, if we are going to be subjected to your toe cleavage, have a pedicure first. And don’t get me started on the smelly ones!

The dreaded crusty feet season is upon us😁

What about those of us who are overweight, or ugly, or don’t have perfectly manicured nails etc etc? Should we stay in so as not to offend you?

What is missing from your life that you would notice or in fact care?

How close do you have to be to study people’s feet to that extent?

My feet aren’t nice and now I know how upset people get about this kind of thing, I’m going to actually buy a pair or open toed shoes.

YANBU. Unkempt feet are pretty gross. My exSiL’s feet in summer were always dirty and unkempt. Mind you so was her house - and I’m very far from being anything like a clean freak.

So what is the minimum acceptable level of foot care before someone can go out in public? Assuming feet are clean.

At least cut long yellow toenails! Or any over-long toenails, come to that.

It's a challenge to write and police a more subtle dress code than just "no open-toed shoes". Beauty, taste, and aesthetics are subjective; you've really got to go with form and function. Are closed-toe fisherman's or Sea Salt type sandals OK? Sandals with socks or tights? Closed toe, wide open sides/back? Visible feet through transparent shoes? And any part of the human body smelling strongly and persistently unpleasant to others in the workplace is an HR/management nightmare - pretty much has to be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Honestly, all humans should just telecommute. (And not show their trotters close-up on the video call.)

I agree what I don’t understand is why so many able bodied people have fungal toenails if treated early on they can be easy to treat. Same with cracked heels quick file or some moisturiser keeps on top of them. I know people are limited on time but left untreated cracked heels can become painful. I find it odd when I see really well dressed people with full make up perfectly done hair and then fungal toes and cracked heels. I get the weather is hot and people want to have there feet out but I can’t stop seeing bad feet everywhere

YANBU. There should be a special place reserved in hell for men who wear sandals. Just yuck.

Believe it or not I do look after my feet. I go for a medical (i.e. not cosmetic) pedicure every 3 weeks. My feet are STILL awful. It is the fatal combination of hyperhydrosis AND very dry feet. A week after my pedicure they look as bad as before.
I can’t put cream on them at night because the skin just cannot breathe. I end up with boiling hot feet and a massive urge to just claw at the skin.
I can’t use a normal foot file on them at home either. I would have to scrub away for an hour to make even the slightest difference (my podiatrist, with all her professional tools, goes at it for 30-40 minutes a time, and as mentioned, it makes a difference for a few days, if that).
I have suffered with this for years, and nobody I’ve ever seen, and no tool or product I’ve ever used, has ever made the blindest bit of difference.
Some of us cannot help it despite our best efforts.
To cap it all I now have a massive patch of eczema on top of one foot as well which again NO product is shifting (and again we have a house full of prescription-only eczema cream since my eldest son also suffers from it from time to time).
I’m sorry that my hopelessness in the face of what appears to be a freak skin disorder is so offensive to you, @Offherrockingchair . Kindly tell me what else I should be doing to alleviate this problem…!

You are too precious for this world, dear OP.

As long as my feet look brilliant, this is all I care about.

My gaze is eye-level. I don't stare at people's feet.

I'm really not interested in anyone else's opinion of my feet. Providing my footwear does not breach H&S policy, what does it matter? Arguably flip flops and sliders would breach it. But the fact I've no nail varnish on my toe nails and my heels could do with moisturising is unimportant.

Not a pedicure. You mean a session with a chiropodist or podatrist. They’re the people who are legally allowed to take the dead skin, “crusts” and clean up thickened, yellow toenails. Anyone who does that under guise of a “pedicure” is a beauty therapist who should absolutely not go anywhere near thickened nails and dry skin. They’re just not licensed to do it properly (medically).
Also, those with thickened heels or a build up of keratinocytes at the apex of the foot, oftentimes cannot help it, as it is more often than not a totally genetic component to it.

Yup. I like soap that exfoliates ie Moroccan black soap. And oil for my nails because they tear if I don't put oil on them every day.

Everyone can prevent build up on their feet if they exfoliate several times a week. It isn't hard.

Feminism isn't an excuse for lax personal hygiene.

Ah, the voice of someone who doesn’t understand. Kindly read my previous post on this page and then tell me what I should be exfoliating with. Sandpaper, perhaps?

Personal hygiene is feet washed frequent. Some people have more difficulty with their feet looking "pretty" due to genetics and health issues but keep them clean. Unfortunately lots of people can't distinguish between clean feet and pretty feet.

Exfoliation and moisturising isn’t personal hygiene.

As long as someone’s feet don’t actively smell, why does it matter what they look like?

It seems that girls with their bums hanging out of shorts must not be criticised but older women with aged toenails are fair game

With this https://www.marius-fabre.com/en/black-soap-for-the-body/431-olive-oil-black-soap-for-the-body-250g-3298651713777.html?_gl=1fagcec_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIze2zgeSslQMV2KhoCR18Jwf4EAAYASAAEgLRd_D_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADxUcrIflyAb0F4IeY9X7c2qakm_t

and this www.chemistconnect.com/pharmacy-health-c1/foot-care-c25/newtons-chiropody-sponge-p4709

Of course exfoliation and moisturizing are personal hygiene.

My feet are ugly and crusty often but I have palmoplantar pustulosis and in hot weather or times of stress it gets worse as I am allergic to sweat. (I don't smoke). The little pus pockets become really itchy- until they burst.
So I wear sandals to relieve the itch- as it's boiling in the hospital I work in- and sandals at the end of a shift help it be more bearable.....
Some people will have a skin condition meaning that they wear sandals....

Nope. They’re beauty and skincare choices.

Hygiene is keeping things clean.

Exfoliation (removing dead skin and the bacteria that lurk in decomposing skin) is basic cleanliness and moisturizing is basic protection of skin that has been exfoliated.