I loved my £4 Vinted trainers until I broke out in a horrific rash after tiny mites burrowed into my skin and laid eggs

A mother has vowed never to buy used shoes again after a pair of £4 trainers left her with a red, itchy rash.

Becca Maddon loved Vinted’s chunky shoes when they arrived – but fears they gave her scabies later.

6

6

6

The highly contagious skin disease is caused by tiny mites that burrow into the skin and lay eggs there.

The 29-year-old, from Watford in Hertfordshire, said: “I was terrified.”

Becca chose the affordable sneakers in March last year after she noticed the glittery design on the online marketplace.

She said when they were delivered to her home, she stored them on her shoe rack and then in a vacuum-sealed bag while she moved.

But after wearing them for the first time to a family birthday party on September 4, she developed a severe rash on her feet and ankles.

At first she thought it might be eczema. But when the spots began to spread on her legs, she called 111 and went to her GP.

The doctor blamed the health problem on either scabies or an allergic reaction to the trainers and prescribed medication to treat it.

The mention of scabies made Becca fearful that she might get an infestation, but luckily no one else in her house was affected.

She said: “I have been using the Vinted app for about three years to buy clothes and bags for myself and my son.”

“I love it because there are so many sellers and you can always get great items at a much cheaper price, sometimes even with tags.”

“I wasn’t looking for a specific pair of sneakers. I only needed one pair and I’m always interested in sparkly or fancy shoes.”

“They were chunky sneakers with an iridescent design so they turned a rainbow color in the light.

“When I woke up in the morning after wearing the shoes, I noticed a small red rash on my foot.

“Sometimes I get eczema on my face, so I thought it was the same thing; I simply applied some of my eczema cream to my foot.

“But over the next two days the rash got worse. I took antihistamines and then noticed the red spots starting to appear on my legs.”

“I was worried that my house might be full of scabies, but luckily no one in my family had a rash.”

‘I WAS SHOCKED’

Now the medical secretary is urging people to wash previously worn clothing before wearing it.

Becca, who doesn’t blame Vinted or the seller for what happened and hasn’t written in to complain, said: “The sneakers didn’t smell strange or anything so I didn’t wash them before wearing them.”

“But that has stopped me from buying used shoes again, no matter how much I want a discount. I will never do it again.”

“I will continue to buy clothes and bags, but I will make sure I disinfect them before wearing them.”

Vinted recommends sellers “wash or disinfect” clothing before advertising and list any defects in the description.

Shoppers may also want to clean their purchases before wearing them “if necessary,” the company added.

A spokesman said: “We are sorry to hear about the member’s experience and we hope she is now feeling better.”

“In our listing rules, we ask members to inspect their items before listing as all items offered for sale should be clean.

“We recommend washing or disinfecting them appropriately for the material.

“Possibly. Stains that cannot be washed off, defects or other defects must be specified in the listing description.

“Upon receipt of an item, we also ask members to thoroughly inspect their item and report any issues to us so we can provide immediate assistance.

“Members may wish to wash their garments before wearing if necessary.”

6

6

6