The Schweaty Feet Thread... Shoe Insoles?

[unepagaille]

I have very schweaty feet I suffer from hyperhidrosis in the hands, feet and armpits and my feet really take a beating because of it. They blister constantly (I always have blisters!) and the feeling of having sweaty feet almost 24/7 is really, really gross.

Most importantly though, it limits my shoes

I've accepted that my life will be without flip flops and sandals. I love my flats and I love my sneakers (though buying them twice a year to keep up with the shoe rot sucks!) but the one thing I really, really, really miss is heels. I have a few pairs of FIERCE heels that I love, and could see myself buying more and more and more, and love what they do for my body/confidence/outfits etc, BUT I have a double problem with heels. Because my feet sweat, if the heels are the right size, once my feet sweat, they swell up and the heels will cut into them (for some reason this isn't as big of a deal with flats). If I get them slightly bigger/way bigger than my actual size, my foot sliiiiiideeessss slimily forward in the shoe the whole time I'm wearing them making them impossible to walk in, horribly gross and uncomfortable to even stand in, and giving me super huge blisters to remind me the next day why I never wear heels.

So I think I'm going to make myself some insoles. I have some that fit my flats that are towel-y on one side and they absorb pretty well and prevent the blisters, they also make the shoes a bit smaller, which would be perfect for the heels I have which are all a half size to a size too big. Gel insoles do Not work, the slidey problem is only made worse (I can imagine, I haven't bought them).

Wow, that's a lot of backstory for an actually pretty simple question! Basically I figure I'll trace the existing insoles of the shoes onto an old towel and use that, but I'm wondering what a good material would be for the other side? Rubber? I want somethnig that won't get damaged by too much moisture but also something that isn't expensive, won't slide in the shoe, etc. Any ideas??

Thanks for reading the tale of my gross schweaty feet and in advance for any help!!

[Anjelle]

I suppose you could buy pre-made rubber insoles and attach your absorbent material over that. On another note, a friend told me she sprays men's antiperspirant on her feet to cut down on the sweaty shoe mess. I don't know how much that will help someone with a medical condition, but it's an idea.