Rubbing Alcohol??

Katdaddy

Katdaddy

Joined
Aug 6, 2007
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I am reading The Complete Walker by Colin Fletcher. One of the things he suggests for getting your feet ready for a trip is to apply rubbing alcohol twice a day for about a week. He says this will toughen the skin. This is to be used if you don't have the opportunity to take some short hikes leading up to the trip, which would be the preferred method.
Has anyone ever heard of this? Have you tried it?
 
..you could always walk barefoot across gravels for about 6 months. I used to have feet like tennis shoes when I was a kid. Then I started wearing shoes, now I'm tenderfooted as hell.

I think next summer I will go barefoot as much as I can and hit gravel every chance I get.
 
I remember reading that and thinking that was a curious suggestion.

I've never tried it. My feet are as they should be, since I walk a lot, and don't wear shoes. I'm curious what others say about toughening your feet with rubbing alcohol.
 
This doesn't make much sense to me. It sounds like a baseless bit of lore. How does rubbing alcohol do anything but make your feet clean? It's not likely to get absorbed much. It evaporates quickly. I've never heard of, nor observed with my use, that rubbing alcohol promotes thick skin growth, or discourages skin cells from sloughing off. If anything, it's the opposite. For years, I used rubbing alcohol as an odorless aftershave, since aftershave is pretty much alcohol with scent added, and have yet to notice the skin on my chin being any tougher than the skin on my forehead.
 
alchohol will dry your skin out maybe causing it to crack... i would rather toughen my feet up the old fashion way...barefoot
 
shecky said:
This doesn't make much sense to me. It sounds like a baseless bit of lore. How does rubbing alcohol do anything but make your feet clean? It's not likely to get absorbed much. It evaporates quickly. I've never heard of, nor observed with my use, that rubbing alcohol promotes thick skin growth, or discourages skin cells from sloughing off. If anything, it's the opposite. For years, I used rubbing alcohol as an odorless aftershave, since aftershave is pretty much alcohol with scent added, and have yet to notice the skin on my chin being any tougher than the skin on my forehead.
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It didn't make a lot of sense to me either. That is why I passed it along to see if this was some outdated bit of wisdom.
 
I have read this also. Never tried it thou. Here's another trick that really works well. Before starting long hikes, I coated my feet with anti-persperant (sp?). Dry feet, socks, and fewer blisters. In woods with a lot of insects, we strapped cat collars around our boots just above the ankle joint. A little off subject, but related.
 
Blousing straps are cheaper and more effective, my opinion.

Toughen feet the old fashioned way, walk barefoot, I'd avoid concrete/asphalt though, it'll tear your feet up. Smooth gravel grass and sand are the best to start toughening your feet. on the topic of feet, I've heard urine works to toughen them up a bit, never tried it, some say it's good for getting rid of foot fungus as well.
 
Skimo said:
Blousing straps are cheaper and more effective, my opinion.

Toughen feet the old fashioned way, walk barefoot, I'd avoid concrete/asphalt though, it'll tear your feet up. Smooth gravel grass and sand are the best to start toughening your feet. on the topic of feet, I've heard urine works to toughen them up a bit, never tried it, some say it's good for getting rid of foot fungus as well.
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People have soaked their hands (and feet) in brine (a heavily salted water) for a long, long time to toughen them up. Urine is basically saltwater, with a few other elements thrown in.
 
dawsonbob said:
People have soaked their hands (and feet) in brine (a heavily salted water) for a long, long time to toughen them up. Urine is basically saltwater, with a few other elements thrown in.
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Can also give you salt sores, so be careful with that one.
 
When I say cat-collars, I mean the flea type. Which actually will repel or kill nearly any insect. one pair of these collars would easily work thruought a six week field exercise.
 
Munky88 said:
Can also give you salt sores, so be careful with that one.
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True, but you don't let your feet of hands soak for long periods of time. Fighters have been using this method for years by soaking their hands for 15 - 20 minutes a day for a long time.
 
baldtaco-II said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubbing_alcohol
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Still not buying it. The mention there seems to imply it's the defatting/drying effect on skin, especially in that concentration, that will toughen up skin.

I have used 91% rubbing alcohol topically before, several times a week, with no skin toughening effects. It might be possible if you were to soak your feet in the stuff. That seems drastic, and possibly a bit hazardous due to possibility of direct absorption. It's probably be pretty irritating after a while, too. In any event, you'll probably have to do more than rub your feet twice a day with the stuff.

Where does one even get 99% concentration rubbing alcohol? That's getting close to lab grade stuff. Might be kind of hazardous to use. Highest concentration I ever see available to average consumers is 91%. 70% is much more common.
 
I've used "Tuf-Foot." It's for a dog's pads, but I heard somewhere to use it on your feet. Ingredients: Balsams, Peru; Tolu, Styrax, Aloe and Benzoin. Note: if your wife is anything like mine, she'll hate the smell of the stuff.
 
shecky said:
Still not buying it. The mention there seems to imply it's the defatting/drying effect on skin, especially in that concentration, that will toughen up skin.

I have used 91% rubbing alcohol topically before, several times a week, with no skin toughening effects. It might be possible if you were to soak your feet in the stuff. That seems drastic, and possibly a bit hazardous due to possibility of direct absorption. It's probably be pretty irritating after a while, too. In any event, you'll probably have to do more than rub your feet twice a day with the stuff.

Where does one even get 99% concentration rubbing alcohol? That's getting close to lab grade stuff. Might be kind of hazardous to use. Highest concentration I ever see available to average consumers is 91%. 70% is much more common.
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I'm not going to waste brain on it but it seems even a simple search for "rubbing alcohol hardens skin" throws up information to the contrary within many spheres, including these.
 
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