Toxic Flip-Flops: From China by way of WalMart (gross-out warning)

[trof]

The Flip-Flops


The feet: Day 6


And 2 weeks later:


"Well, after wearing them my feet would be red and sort of tingly, but I figured that it was just because it was first flip flops of the year so my feet need to get used to them. Blabity blabity... Well I have now had what appears to be a chemical burn for 11 days, (As of July 3rd) I really thought it would just go away on it's own. It is absolutely not going away very well at all...this started on

June 22nd 2007 and has just gotten worse basically. I have only worn those shoes 15 minutes here, half an hour there, hour there...and so on, NOT enough time to burn my feet like this!"

I just got an email from a girl saying that she had the same problem

I took out her email addy to protect her, but otherwise I just copied & pasted her email

From: XXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXX
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2007 12:42:37 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Flip Flop Burns
Dear BoxJockey,
My name is Holly and my feet have the same marks on them as yours. I have had this problem for 5 weeks now.

My feet itch like they have a yeast infection. It is awful!!! I saw your question on Yahoo Answers.

I paid $2.88 for my flip flops at Wal mart. They are rubber with a bright pink strap, and a yellow bottom with white flowers on the base.

I would like to contact the FDA also; how do I do that?

Sincerely,
Holly XXXX
The whole story here: http://www.lamanaphotography.com/walmart2.htm

Anybody have similar experience?

[iamjoy]

1. No, I Don't Buy From Wal-Mart, Or China

I don't knowingly buy stuff made in China (few exceptions) and I don't shop at Wal-Mart.

I don't buy flip flops either, but that's 'cos my toes are ugly.

Anyway, this is pretty bad, has a doctor confirmed it is a burn as opposed to some other type of irritation?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

2. Actually, that looks like a latex allergic reaction...

[FloridaJudy]

4. Sure does - or some other type of allergic reaction.

I'd get in touch with a medical provider if those were my feet.

[Deja Q]

6. I must agree.

I've never seen a reaction to latex, but it's a real possibility too. The company may not have done any major wrongdoing. (did the label on the flip-flops say they were made of latex? Even then, how many people read those things, which are typically in microprint and as such anyone over 40 wouldn't be able to read it anyway...)

[Warpy]

17. Contact dermatitis

not a chemical burn. You can be allergic to anything and allergies can pop up suddenly to anything you've been using for some time.

If anybody has the reaction in picture #1, STOP WEARING THE THINGS IMMEDIATELY. If the person in the story had done that, likely the reaction would not have progressed to the point of scarring.

The worst contact dermatitis I ever had was to a free sample of detergent I got in the mail when I was poor back in the 60s. I broke out and itched from the wrists up and from the neck down. Ivory dishwashing liquid was another allergen, so yes, you can be allergic to ANYTHING.

[Deja Q]

3. I hope that company doesn't make condoms...

:hide:

[FloridaJudy]

7. A lot of condoms are made in India

But condoms have to undergo extremely strict testing. There's one product where regulation/oversight does what it's supposed to! Of course, if it's a latex condom and the user is allergic to latex, the resulting situation isn't pretty, and could potentially be fatal. I have a friend who went into shock when a latex condom was used to cover a piece of equipment used during a medical exam. She survived only because emergency equipment was available there as well.

[MADem]

21. Bwaahahahahahahaaaa! How very....vicious! NT

[trof]

5. Read the whole story. Chemical burn, not latex allergy.

[FloridaJudy]

8. Could be phthalates

Chemicals used to keep plastics flexible. Some people have strong reactions to them. They're particularly an issue with sex toys.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/09/11/phthalate_warning/

[femmocrat]

9. Wonder why she continued to wear them after day 6?

:shrug:

[LisaL]

11. Beats me.

[MiniMe]

12. Read the story

Let me make this perfectly clear, AS SOON AS I REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM I STOPPED WEARING THE SHOES.

[LisaL]

14. This is the quote:

"Well, after wearing them my feet would be red and sort of tingly, but I figured that it was just because it was first flip flops of the year so my feet need to get used to them. Blabity blabity... Well I have now had what appears to be a chemical burn for 11 days, (As of July 3rd) I really thought it would just go away on it's own. It is absolutely not going away very well at all...this started on

June 22nd 2007 and has just gotten worse basically. I have only worn those shoes 15 minutes here, half an hour there, hour there...and so on, NOT enough time to burn my feet like this!"
*************************************************************************

It's not clear to me when the author stopped wearing the flip-flops.

[MiniMe]

15. Did you read the story?

Update July 22 2007, for the most part the response has been (overwhelming) but It has been very positive, thank you! I had no idea this page was in public view..

A few of you out there wondered why I would keep wearing the flip flops? That is not what I said, what I said was I wore them here & there for a little while at a time

My feet would be red but I just thought it was because the straps were maybe tight, or they were new, or the first flip flops of the year, I chalked it off to tender feet.

Let me make this perfectly clear, AS SOON AS I REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM I STOPPED WEARING THE SHOES.

In total I wore the shoes maybe 10 to 12 times.

{snip}

Hey! I decided to do an experiment, lets see if I am allergic to latex! Just for fun by the way. July 22nd

I have worn this latex glove for and hour and a half so far,(last night) I am wearing it for another hour then a will post a picture of any reactions I may or may not have.



Hey guys, it has been an hour, I decided to wear latex gloves on BOTH hands just for fun, but nothing is happening...

I am going to wear them for another hour or so.

I was told to give them equal time to the shoes I wore them for nearly 7 hours,

I have no reaction so far, but I will see if any develops tomorrow

[LisaL]

16. Yes I read the story.

"A few of you out there wondered why I would keep wearing the flip flops? That is not what I said, what I said was I wore them here & there for a little while at a time."

"I wore them here & there for a little while at a time" is wearing the flip-flops, no? I personally wear my flip-flops here and there for a little while at the time.

And latex gloves experiment-wearing latex gloves, and waiting to see if reaction develops?
What if the author really was allergic to latex?
Do you think it's a good idea?

[madrchsod]

20. my daughters shoes would have fried her feet

and she`s not allergic to latex

[LisaL]

10. It's horrible, but I would have given the author the following advise

after the feet turned "red and tingly"-quit wearing those darn flip-flops already.

[MadHound]

13. I hate to say this,

But in a twisted way all of these product defects might be one of the better things to happen to our economy. As the criminal lack of Chinese quality control finally sinks into the public psyche, Americans will react by looking for and demanding American made products, even paying a premium for them(at least at first). Perhaps this will force corporate America to stop outsourcing the US manufacturing sector and bring it back home. One could only hope.

[Beelzebud]

18. Free Trade Policies Rule!!! More Profits for the super-rich!

[madrchsod]

19. i read the whole story several days ago----

she was`t allergic to latex.

my daughter bought a pair of shoes from vicky`s secret and smelled so bad we gagged. the shoes were in a sealed plastic bag that must have caused the chemicals to leach out during the trip from china. i`ve worked with some nasty chemical in my life but never smelled anything like this...

[LisaL]

22. Hope you returned them for a refund.

[madrchsod]

23. yes with a note why they were returned

[viat0r]

24. WOW

Ill forward those pics to friends and family as yet ANOTHER reason not to shop at wal-mart or to buy cheap chines JUNK in general. Thanks