Few things are as disheartening to a stylish woman as beautiful shoes that cause immense pain. Even ballet flats, which appear to be simple, comfortable shoes, can shred your heels and the sides of your feet. You can take preventative measures to keep your feet from blistering. By preparing your feet and shoes before you put the shoes on and remaining prepared as your wear them through the day, you can minimize, if not eliminate, foot pain.
Dampen a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. The cotton should be damp but not dripping. Dab the cotton ball on the interior areas of the shoe that cause pain. The alcohol will soften the leather or fabric so that you can mold the shoe to your foot. Put the shoes on while they are damp. Keep them on until you can no longer feel moisture in the treated areas. If the shoe conforms to your foot better, it is less likely to rub and cause pain.
Wear the shoes for limited periods of time at home to break them in. Most shoes only cause pain when they are new, before the material is broken-in and shaped to the contours of your feet. Break the shoes in at home, when you can remove them at the onset of pain, so they are in better shape when you wear them away from home.
Apply a friction-blocking ointment to your feet before you wear the shoes. Ointment sticks are available at drugstores, superstores and stores specializing in outdoor supplies. Rub the ointment on your feet wherever you experience shoe friction. Keep the ointment with you throughout the day to reapply when needed.
Apply small, circular bandages to your feet, if the rubbing is still a problem. A physical barrier between the shoe and your foot will absorb the friction.
Cut small cotton facial pads and insert them into the shoes to cover the spots that rub your foot. Cut them down to size with scissors so that the material is not visible when you are wearing the shoe.
Writer Bio
Grace Riley has been a writer and photographer since 2005, with work appearing in magazines and newspapers such as the "Arkansas Democrat-Gazette." She has also worked as a school teacher and in public relations and polling analysis for political campaigns. Riley holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in American studies, political science and history, all from the University of Arkansas.