MadSci Network: Medicine
Query:

Re: Peeing in the shower reduces foot fungus. True or false. Why?

Date: Sat Mar 29 12:20:26 2003
Posted By: Michael Onken, Moderator, MadSci Network
Area of science: Medicine
ID: 1048529875.Me
Message:

Thanks for an intriguing question: It took some research on my part to figure out why you were even asking the question. As a biochemist, my immediate response was quite the opposite: urine contains urea, which would soften the outer layers of skin, making your feet more susceptible to infection. However, there is quite a substantial number of studies (viewable by clicking here) that demonstrate the usefulness of concentrated urea in athlete's foot creams. So then, what's the real answer?

Well, I'm still going to go with False. It turns out that my reasoning is correct in terms of antifungal creams - concentrated urea denatures the proteins of the outer layers (the "horny" or "cornified" layers) of the skin making them more accessible to the actual antimycotic medicine that kills the fungus - but not showering: the two key points being that urea alone does not kill the fungus, and that the urea must be concentrated and applied for a length of time to be effective. The urea in your urine is not very concentrated, and if you're peeing in the shower, it's being washed off too quickly to have any effect on your skin. Just because topical creams contain urea, doesn't mean that they contain urine, or that they can be substituted for somehow with urine. Urine also contains a lot of table salt, which you wouldn't want to replace with urine; beside which, the urea used for medicinal applications is produced synthetically, contrary to popular sensationalism.


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