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Cold Feet? |
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August 10th, 2010 by Dahlia Bud
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Quite literally!! I’m talking about footwear for the Big Day. There are a few deciding factors when it comes to choosing the perfect shoes for the wedding, and they are definitely things to be considered.
First off, I can’t walk in heels. At all. I either fall flat on my face, or I waddle like a penguin. Not attractive.
Secondly, the ceremony will be, weather permitting, on the beach in front of the venue. And, while there will be an aisle runner, I’d still sink into the sand. Not very comfortable/safe with three or four inch heels.
My last issue with finding shoes is actually a medical condition. One that I really don’t enjoy talking about, but I’m hoping that this will a) make me feel better about it all and b) possibly help some other brides who may or suffer from the same condition, if there are any more out there. So, here goes.
I suffer from hyperhidrosis. In short, hyperhidrosis basically means excessive sweating. It affects many different parts of the body, and it ranges from person to person. Stress and nerves can make it worse, and sweating will occur even if one is cold or at rest. And I have been lucky enough (note the sarcasm) that my hands and feet are the primary target.
Mine isn’t as bad as in the picture above, but it’s pretty intense, and this gives you the idea. I’ve learned to at least handle it in my daily life. When hand-writing something, I use two sheets of paper: one that I’m writing on, and one I fold into quarters and place under my hand. This prevents the paper from getting wet and smearing the ink. I don’t wear a lot of flip flops, strappy shoes, or sandals. So now we come to the crux of the problem: what to wear on the day of the wedding?
While I can always wear my trademark socks and sneakers for the Big Day, I feel like I should wear what I want to wear on this one day, if none other. And so I decided to start making a list of solutions for the problem.
- I can put paper towels (or other absorbent towel products) in a clutch and keep it with me.
- I can wear REALLY thick pantyhose. But on the beach? If it’s hot? What if Dahlia Dude and I want to take barefoot pictures?
Then, there are two medical solutions. The one is basically to get botox in my hands and feet. Similar to the effect that botox has on the face, it paralyzes the sweat glands when injected into areas that are cursed with hyperhidrosis. Then there’s iontophoresis. I did this in high school when my symptoms first started presenting themselves, but the pain was just way too much to handle. What’s iontophoresis? Well, here’s my explanation. Sorry if it’s not the most scientific!
Iontophoresis is when you place your hands into shallow pools of water and an electric current is forced through the water and into your hands and feet. Does it sound painful? Because it is. It takes about twenty minutes per session, and I had to go through it twice a week. And the worse part? It didn’t really work that well. It definitely made a difference, but nowhere near a ‘cure.’ So what am I going to do?
Honestly, I’m not really sure yet. It depends on many factors, and it’s something that I’m still in deep thought about. Due to the other reasons for my shoe issue stated above, I’ll most likely wear either flats or something with a small heel. We don’t need a picture of me falling flat on my face, right? So I started by looking at the Dessy flats. They’re cute, and they’d add a pop of color to my wardrobe.
Cute right? So, while I don’t have a solution yet, I have plenty of options.
So, that’s that. I hope no one is too sickened by all this icky talk. So what about you guys? Have you run into any problems that you’ve handled in your personal life, but are suddenly more difficult now? Anyone else dealing with shoe issues? Or medical conditions?
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Categories: Wedding Planning |
9 Comments |
August 10th, 2010 at 11:53 am
I also suffer from hyperhydrosis, all in my feet and hands, and I’ve had a ton of social situations that proved difficult handling because of this. I just got married in June and had the same debate with shoes. I can’t wear any shoe that doesn’t have some type of backing to hold my feet in because they end up sliding around too much! and I always look for shoes that have a more cloth-like interior to help with traction as well. Have you thought to just go barefoot?? This might be a good solution as no one will see your feet during the ceremony, and if during pictures you feel like your feet are sweating too much, then it would be time for a walk in the ocean!
August 11th, 2010 at 10:54 am
Hmmmm…. what about finding/making a terrycloth insole for ur shoes? you could even just buy a cheap insole, attach old wash clothes w/ spray adheasive, and trim the edges with an exacto knife. That would be comfy AND would help soak up sweat. I do LOVE the purple flats, veryyyy cute, and totally wearable again!
August 11th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I have the same problem as you. My wedding is coming up later this month, so I went to my doctor to get a prescription called Hypercare (or Drysol, they’re the same thing, pretty much). Just put it on your hands at night, wash off in the morning, and after a few treatments, it’s a great improvement. You can use it on your feet, too.
August 12th, 2010 at 11:18 am
TOMS shoes. Be worldly conscious and wear comfortable shoes.
http://www.TOMS.com
August 12th, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Wow, thanks for all these great ideas!!!
Stephanie: I will definitely have to ask my doctor about the Hypercare. That sounds like it would at least help the problem without out being too much trouble/too expensive.
August 12th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Jen: I have actually considered that. My plan for a bach. party (or shower – who knows) is to have everyone order a pair of TOMS and then decorate them.
August 16th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Hi Dahlia,
Have you tried Summer Soles? http://www.summersoles.com/ They were created for women with hyperhidrosis. Not sure how well they work, but it may be worth a try. We actually used to use them in fashion shows to line the shoes that the models wore.
Dogwood
September 2nd, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Dahlia, a friend just referred me to Bridal Buds and I’m so surprised (and relieved) to find I’m not the only bride worrying about how hyperhydrosis is going to affect my wedding day! I’m considering the botox and have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, at which I’m going to discuss it. The prescriptions and iontipheresis and they didn’t work all that well for me. Good luck, and thank you for sharing! It’s really nice to know I’m not the only one!
September 6th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Saw the doctor on Friday about this – a new primary care doctor- and she suggested something I hadn’t tried or read about on other sites. It’s a prescription, usually used for other issues, but effective for hyperhydrosis. It’s called Ditropan/Oxybutynin. She said I would see results in about a week. It’s been three days, and I can tell it’s making a difference. The only notable side effect so far has been dry mouth, so I have been drinking tons of water- not all bad. I don’t know how well it will work long term, but it’s pretty amazing right now.