Men and adolescent boys in particular tend to have smelly feet. The unpleasant vapours that waft out of high school lockers and vestibule closets are proof of that. Most people’s feet sweat, especially when it’s hot out, and that’s perfectly normal. But when the sweaty smell becomes nauseating, it is known as bromhidrosis (from the Greek bromo, which means “stink”, and hidro, meaning “sweat”) and can be downright embarrassing. The phenomenon also affects women, but to a much lesser degree.
Sweaty feet: Aggravating factors
We know that abundant foot perspiration is hereditary to some extent, but so far, we know more about the aggravating factors than the cause. They include:
- Wearing fully closed shoes
- Wearing shoes made with synthetic materials that don’t allow moisture to evaporate, materials like plastic, vinyl or artificial leather
- Intense physical activity
- Wearing nylon socks, which retain sweat
- Wearing shoes without socks
- Stress, which literally makes us sweat, and not just through our feet
- Hormonal changes, which also influence perspiration (for example, during adolescence)
In short, if you wear faux leather running shoes when you exercise, you also run (pardon the pun) the risk of ending up with wet socks that smell like the southern end of a northbound yak. The same logic also applies if you go to the office every day wearing nylon socks and closed shoes.
So what makes foot odour so repugnant?
Even if you shower and wash your feet every day, you might still find that your shoes give off noxious odours. That’s because feet are home to sweat-loving bacteria. When your feet sweat, the bacteria multiply, causing chemical reactions that frankly don’t smell good. The more you sweat, the more the bacteria multiply, the more chemical reactions there are, the stinkier things get. Enclose all that inside socks and shoes with no air flow and you’ve got a volatile, odiferous mix! It’s a veritable bacteria factory!
In addition to giving off embarrassing odours, sweaty feet can also give rise to infections. What’s more, if hygiene is less than ideal, you could also develop athlete’s foot, a fungal infection related to jock itch and ringworm. Athlete’s foot generally develops between the toes and takes the form of a scaly rash accompanied by itching, burning, inflammation and blisters. It can also extend to the soles of the feet and your toenails. Often, the irritation is at its worst once you take off your shoes and socks. This type of infection is contagious and often transmitted through wet shower floors, public pools and contaminated shoes.
What can be done to relieve sweaty feet?
It is not usually recommended that you avoid sweating, given that it’s the body’s way to cool off and return to its normal temperature. However, some people suffer from hyperhidrosis (profuse sweating), as though their natural thermostat is out of whack. In that particular case, sage is recommended as a natural way to calibrate that thermostat. Menopausal women (in whom other hormonal changes are at work) who suffer from hot flashes also benefit from sage, a plant that appears to work on the body’s temperature control mechanism. But don’t worry, sage doesn’t act on female hormones, but rather on sweat itself. As a natural antiperspirant plant, sage is not a remedy designed specifically for women and is equally useful for men.
To deal with the odour problem, there are a few hygiene practices you can adopt:
- Wash your feet carefully in a washbasin filled with water and 2 tablespoons of baking soda or green clay, which is naturally rich in calcium, aluminum and magnesium.
- Dry your feet thoroughly with a towel, making sure to dry properly between your toes.
- And remember to clean under your toenails.
- While you’re at home, remain barefoot to keep your feet aired out.
- Wear quality socks, preferably ones made of cotton, wool or moisture-wicking synthetics.
- Before donning your running shoes, put on thick socks to properly absorb sweat, but not so thick as to constrict your feet.
- Change socks once or twice a day—bring spares to work with you.
- Wear light leather or canvas shoes.
- Make sure they’re roomy enough to wiggle your toes in.
- Alternate between the different shoes you own—don’t wear the same pair two days in a row—to give them time to dry completely between wears.
- Sprinkle baking soda into your shoes.
To avoid developing athlete’s foot, the same tips apply, but with a few more to boot:
- Wear flip-flops in public spaces like gym showers and pools
- Be selfish and don’t share your shoes
Some foods can increase sweating, like hot soup and spicy foods, so avoid them if you can. Moreover, garlic, onions and some spices affect sweat’s odour, so it’s best to choose other foods before you exercise, especially if you want to keep your friends.
I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you about the risks of excess abdominal weight, or belly fat, which include heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, colorectal cancer, sleep apnea, and premature death (regardless of cause). But what’s that got to do with sweaty feet, you ask? It’s just that a bulging belly blocks access to your feet, and if you can’t see them, it’s hard to clean under your nails and wash and dry your feet properly!
References
http://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Maux/Symptomes/Fiche.aspx?doc=transpiration-pieds-hyperhidrose-plantaire-symptome
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/home-remedies-fighting-athletes-foot/
