Introduction to Sweaty, Smelly Feet

Many people out there think smelly feet happen though out the course of their average day. Some are even embarrassed however more people suffer from foot odour than you might imagine. Your body naturally perspires to control your temperature and unlike exposed areas of your body your feet are tucked away in your shoes, meaning the sweat they produce cannot evaporate away.

Many people are surprised to find out that we have up to 250000 sweat glands in our feet. So people suffer from a condition called Hyperhidrosis, this is defined as the production of perspiration beyond what is necessary to cool the body, basically you over sweat.

With the amount of sweat gland in your feet it is possible for anybody to get sweaty feet regardless of the temperature or time of year. Women who are pregnant and teenager's going through puberty are more susceptible because of their hormonal ups-and-downs. You are also more prone to foot perspiration if you are on your feet all day or if you're under a lot of stress. A lot of people experience this problem during the summer months. This makes sense as the increase in temperature makes people sweat more.

Cause

The cause of foot odour is when the sweat from your feet reacts with bacteria causing your feet to smell. Strangely enough the bacteria living on our feet produce gases very like the bacteria which are used inside the production of cheese hence your feet smell.

Feet become smelly if sweat soaks into shoes and they don't dry before you wear them again. Bacteria on the skin breaks down sweat as it come from the pores. A cheesy odour which can be unbearable at times is released as the sweat decomposes. Your feet sweat into your shoes all day which is the ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Bacteria continue to breed once you have taken your shoes off, especially if you put them in a dark cupboard. Then, when you put your shoes back on the next day, even if you have just had a shower, putting your feet into still damp shoes creates the perfect conditions for the bacteria which thrive in a warm, dark and moist. Fungal infections, such as athlete's foot, can also lead to bad foot odour.

Try not to wear the same shoes every day as this will allow any moisture to dry. If this is not possible then dry the inside of your shoes using either newspaper or even your hair dryer, use the hair dryer on a medium setting, if you use it on a high setting you can damage the leather. Wash your feet everyday and dry then thoroughly especially in between your toes. Over the counter anti perspirant can help as this will reduce the amount of sweat your feet produce. Another little tip is to change your socks a couple of times during the day.

Remember look after your feet as they look after you