Lifeafterballet Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Can anyone outline the benefits from this practice and also say if there are any long term health risks ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billyelliott Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 From a pharmaceutical point of view the constant exposure to the inhalation of the fumes might be harmful . I have always used surgical spirit which has added anti bacterial/ fungal properties , to harden skin and keep athletes foot away , but plenty of modern contemporary dance in bare feet has now produces lots of hard skin so I'm not finding it needed so much ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Goodness me, I wouldn't - surgical spirit is fine, but I wouldn't use white spirit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Its her Life Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Yes I agree with Spanner .... surgical spirit yes, but not white spirit. My dd uses surgical spirit to harden the skin on her toes to help prevent blisters from Pointe work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Out of interest Cotes du rhone, who recommended white spirit and why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeafterballet Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Oops ! I mean't to say surgical spirit ! Shouldn't post so late in the evening !! Must have been thinking of paint brushes at the time !! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Ha ha! I must say I'm relieved! Would you like me to edit the thread title? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Anyway, to answer the question about *surgical* spirit, I don't wipe dd's feet with it every day as her skin is hardening up on its own from contemporary and pointework. I did used to wipe her heels, ends of the toes, around the toenails and certainly dab it on to blisters. Now she just wipes around the big toenails with it once she's showered after dance. It's a brilliant antiseptic and she's never has any ill effect from it as long as she washes her hands after using it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lifeafterballet Posted July 24, 2013 Author Share Posted July 24, 2013 Thank you for the edit ! Less cotes du rhone I think is required !! I was a little alarmed when this practice was first suggested. But dd tells me a few girls she knows dab a bit on from time to time ! I was hoping to let nature take its course ! Dd has never had a problem with her feet but with the holidays and the amount of swimming she is doing it might be an idea ! Seems strange I found it unnerving as in my job I am constantly rubbing alcohol gel into my hands !! Thank you for the advice x 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 No problem. We use it for all sorts in our house; it's good for cleaning pierced ears too. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I still use it every day after showering. To say it hardens the skin might put people off, what it does is strengthen the skin. I wipe a swab of cotton wool impregnated with surgical spirit between my toes, to avoid infections and cracking of the skin. If I don't - with teaching several hours a day - the skin soon plays up. However, as I said, it doesn't harden the skin between my toes, which is still just as soft and elastic as it should be. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I bought some Surgical Spirit about a year ago because someone told me it was good for helping dancer's feet when they start pointe work. It went in the cupboard and I forgot all about it. Then on Saturday, my DD was learning a new tap solo and wore her tap shoes with no tights for an hour!!! Yep, you guessed it - 2 great big blisters, one on each heel ! The absolute worst timing as she's got her Irish National on Sunday at All England Finals and goes up to York on Saturday for a week's dancing! Luckily, they're healing quite nicely but seeing this thread made me go get the Surgical Spirit out of the cupboard and rub DD's feet with it especially the heels! So thanks Cote du Rhone for starting the thread and to spannerandpony and pas de quatre for the confirmation Oh and apologies for all the smilies - got a bit carried away! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pas de Quatre Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Do be careful if the skin is broken - it will sting like crazy. In fact as an emergency for skinned toes it works well, I think it actually burns the nerve endings and deadens them, but is agony while it is doing so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DancingDays Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Ahhh...luckily the skin is healing nicely and not broken now - it was very effective at removing the sticky plaster marks around the heels as well. The only time I can remember using it before was when I had my ears pierced about 30 years ago! Ha Ha! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Dd's big toenails have a very slight tendency to ingrow; fortunately not enough to need any surgical procedures but after a lot of pointework they can get red and sore and look a bit manky. The Podiatrist/Chiropodist recommended soaking feet in salt water and then wiping with surgical spirit instead of antiseptic cream as the cream can apparently keep infection in by "clogging up" the area. The surgical spirit doesn't do that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pas de chat Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I used witch hazel and surgical spirits when I was little. If you are dancing all day I would use tape though around the toes. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna C Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 Yes, she tapes round the big toe nail. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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