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How come you posted here instead of a medical help forum?

I would have to agree with last post.
This is not a medical based forum. This topic is marginal at best.
The only reason I didn't delete it is that some members have friends, wives, girlfriends that go barefoot, and maybe at some time, they have had a self conscious issue when they first started going barefoot in public, they might lend some input.
After reading your story, my opinion would be she is almost phobic about being barefoot or people seeing her feet and she might need some professional counseling. If the dermatologist saw her reaction to the orders, I am surprised it wasn't suggested. Especially if it was in a patients best medical interest.
There is an issue when a person psychological state interferes with a medical condition

Okay.

Well, you're in luck as i happen to know a lot about this. I suffer from the same phobia, though over the years it's becoming less of a problem. I'm never seen barefoot but don't mind when I'm on my own. To me, that is progress.

The key to curing a phobia is conditioning, you can't reason a cure as the phobia its self is irrational.

Firstly, she has to want to cure this phobia. If so, this is the way I'd go about doing it my self:

- When completely alone, be barefoot.

- Once comfortable with that, she could try being barefoot around a pet, say a cat or a dog (i know that sounds crazy but believe me, it can be awkward!)

- Then she could try wearing very thin socks around the house... gradually moving on to more transparent socks.

N.B - While this is occurring, it's very important to ignore her feet during this process.

- Of course, the next step would be to go semi barefoot. For example, wearing slip on shoes which expose the heel and the side of the foot but not the toes.

- Then, very strappy sandals should be worn.

- Then she could attempt going swimming.

For me, completing this process would be a lot easier around strangers, like in a park or a beach, or even at a martial arts class The key is slowly building up a tolerance for having her feet exposed at gradually increasing levels of exposure. Again, i cannot stress how important it is for people to ignore her feet.

If she wants, she can talk to me directly about it via email. It'd be nice to talk to someone else about this as i thought i were the only one!

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Try these links:

http://www.summersoles.com/ihs_reviewed.htm
http://www.lovethoseshoes.com/healthandwel...perhidrosis.asp

From what I've read it's a problem that can be maintained. So, she has two options: go barefoot or maintain her feet with a rigorous care regime.