What is the difference between barefoot shoes and regular shoes?
Barefoot shoes are shoes that are flat from heel to toe, flexible, thin soled, widest in the toe box and preferably lightweight. "Regular" shoes generally have either a heel drop, a toe spring, arch support or a combination of all three. Moreover, most modern shoes are almost exclusively most narrow in the toe box, which is actually the widest part of the human foot. So a barefoot shoe is just that: a shoe that mimics the barefoot condition as much as possible.
How long does it take to get used to wearing barefoot shoes?
This depends from person to person. If you are generally used to walking at home or any other place without shoes or only in socks, the transition may not be too challenging. On the other hand, if you are always used to wearing some kind of footwear, even in the house, the transition may take a lot longer. Many of the transitional pains or discomforts that are often felt are from damage or strain on tissues that are not used to being challenged. When the discomfort is great enough, this is often what causes people to take long breaks or even quit the transition.
More information about transitioning to barefoot shoes can be found