Woman gets severe rash after wearing second-hand shoes she bought on Vinted: 'I was terrified'

Vintage and thrift shopping has been all the rage for a while now. Not only is it a fun activity to do with friends, it is also better both for the environment and the pocket. Platforms like Vinted, Poshmark and Vestiaire Collective have become hugely popular, by giving people access to second-hand clothes, footwear and accessories at great price points, and from the comfort of their homes.

But if you are shopping from these platforms, you should also be aware of the health-risks from second-hand shoes and clothing, as one Vinted customer found out after shoe-shopping. Turns out, the risks associated are far graver than the shoes being too big or small for your feet, or even giving you smelly feet.

Woman's second-hand shopping ends in severe rash

As reported by Mirror, a 29-year-old mother, Becca Maddon, who scored a £4 trainer off of Vinted, ended up with severe rash on her feet and ankles.

After wearing the second-hand trainers, Becca noticed she had a rash on her feet, that quickly spread to her legs. She immediately rushed to the doctor, who diagnosed her rash as either scabies or an allergic reaction to the trainers.

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Becca describes her terrible experience saying,

I was terrified [when the GP mentioned scabies]. I was freaking out that my house may be filled with scabies but luckily no one in my family came up with any rashes.

Precautions to take while second-hand shopping

Becca, who is a medical secretary, now advises people to wash or disinfect all items before wearing anything second-hand. She explains,

I don't want to put people off. Just wash and disinfect them and make sure you're not allergic, and if you are throw them away.

The Vinted customer has definitely been put-off from buying second-hand shoes ever again. She says,

They didn't smell weird or anything so I didn't wash them before wearing them. This has put me off buying second-hand trainers again no matter how much I want a discount.

Vinted too recommends customers to wash or disinfect purchased second-hand items in a way that's suitable to the item's material.

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Sources used:

Mirror: 'Mum falls ill after wearing £4 second-hand shoes she bought from Vinted'