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Many of you have probably already heard of the old remedy of peeing on your feet in the shower for curing athlete’s foot. But will pee cure athlete’s foot for real?
Some of the best things about using your pee as a cure for athlete’s foot is that it doesn’t cost you anything, plus there’s plenty of it to last a lifetime. Not only that, but no one will borrow your remedy and not return it. In 1994 Madonna gave pee a pretty good boost as a cure for athlete’s foot during a David Letterman interview. But the real question remains, does it really work?
Is the Pee Cure for Athlete’s Foot a Myth
Well sadly, we have to say yes, this is a myth. But let me explain further.
There are tons of commercial athlete’s foot creams on the market today and all claim to be the best. But many of them have one thing in common. That’s the ingredient urea. Urea just so happens to be a major component of human urine. This would certainly explain why pee gained such high marks as an athlete’s foot remedy.
Urea is used to carry excess oxygen from the body and has magical properties that may help soften and exfoliate skin. But it’s concentration in the urine is not nearly enough to clear up a case of athlete’s foot. For example, many of the antifungal remedies that are on the market today will contain upwards of 40% urea. That’s over 15 times the amount found in human urine.
Another thing to consider is the method in which you are administering this treatment. Some may chose using a bucket to collect urine specimen in and give their feet a bath in the bucket. While others may prefer taking care of business while in the shower. But there are other elements at play while showering. There are adulterants such as soap and water that will mix with the urine and most certainly further dilute any urea that may be present. So you can see how there would be a pretty slim chance of this remedy working properly.
Is it Bad to Wash your Feet in Urine?
Well to quickly answer that question, No. As we discussed in the post Why is Urine Yellow and is it Safe to Drink, urine is actually quite sterile and non-toxic. And I say hesitantly that guys are not the only ones peeing in the shower. Glamour magazine discovered that 75% of women admitted to peeing in the shower.
And get this quirky little fact, during a 2009 campaign to save the rainforest in Brazil, they asked that everyone pee in the shower in order to save a few gallons of water flushing the toilets!
So, is this a myth you’ve heard over the years. Has someone told you that peeing on your feet would cure your athlete’s feet? I just rhymed, what do ya know, I’m a poet and didn’t know it…
I’ve seen people suggesting TB patients to drink their own urine.And the statistic isn’t shocking ..hahaha
-Pramod
Wow interesting info about TB, I’d never heard that one. Thanks for sharing Pramod.
It was really amazing to know that Pee can be of some help. Though in India there are many who claim that Cow Urine can even deadly disease like cancer.
Manish, thanks for that home remedy from India. I’ve not heard of that one either, I’m just learning all kinds of cool tid bits today!
Athlete’s foot takes more than just some urine to be cured but I was definitely entertained in reading your post. I even heard some people say that our first pee in the morning is good for the skin. You can use it to cleanse your face when you wake-up every morning – weird eh?
Yes Rose, fortunately urine is not a cure-all for athlete’s foot. Thank goodness! Using it as a morning skin agent doesn’t sound any better…lol Thanks so much for your comment.
So if anti fungal creams have 15 times more urea than my pee, all I need to do is pee on my feet 15 times a day! If I were to have athletes foot of course. Otherwise it could be a bit strange; So, why are you peeing on your feet? umm… I. don’t. know.
Anyway, on a serious note. I’ve done this and it worked… so too bad scientists.
lol, very interesting comment Chani. Maybe this is like some of those superstitions. You have to believe before it will work 🙂
I’m not for sure with that.But I still remember when I was child.my neighbor fell down from the bicycle and broken her wrist.His father came to me and ask me to pee in the bowl he brought..and he let his daughter drink it..I was told that my pee would do good to her recovery…but I didn’t believe it and now either
Wow, that’s a pretty intense story Luke. I’m not so sure I would trust just anyone’s pee as a cure for my children. Kinda scary that someone would come up to you and ask for a bowl of your urine…uggk
I was young and I just peed…but now people no more trust this…
I don’t know if this is proven by science. But who knows!
I don’t know of any specific trials done with a control subject on curing athlete’s foot with urine. But all the evidence supports that it will not be effective. At least not in every case 😉
I was reading an article about a week or two ago about the uses of urine. I had no idea there were so many uses for pee. you can read the article here: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/08/from-gunpowder-to-teeth-whitener-the-science-behind-historic-uses-of-urine/
Cool article C.A. Brown, thanks for sharing that, it definitely adds to the discussion.
It may work on Jelly Fish stings, or sea urchin poison, but athletes foot?
I’ve also heard that about the jelly fish stings. Never had the opportunity to try it personally, but wondering if it really works? Any first hand accounts on this Mack?
I don’t know of any specific trials done with a control subject on curing athlete’s foot with urine. But all the evidence supports that it will not be effective. At least not in every case.
Very true Damido. Using urine to cure athletes foot has been found to be nothing more than a myth. Although some folks will still swear that it works not only for athletes foot, but for many other things as well.
At first you have to keep your feet dry, dry, dry! So dry them thoroughly after every washing. Additionaly use newsprint inside your shoes because it absorbs moisture. But even better: Put special cedarsoles (insoles from Zederna) in your shoes. They absorb any moisture / sweat very effectively and moreover: Cedarwood has very antibacterial features (even used in the boat-building sector). So you get rid of athlete’s foot as well.
Awesome Caren! Thanks so much for the detailed insight into how to take care of your feet. Athletes foot is very common and many folks may benefit from your remedies. Thank you for dropping by!
No worries! I hope, I can help others.