It’s not funny to have stinky feet. Even though it’s a common joke, it’s not funny if every time you take off your shoes, they smell bad.
Imagine you’ve been walking around a playground all afternoon on a hot summer day. Oh, boy, those sneakers have been on your feet for a long time! You decide to take your shoes off in the car on the way home. It’s nice to touch, but it stinks. In fact, the other people in the car might yell at you, what stinks?” It’s because of bacteria. Most of the time, these tiny creatures live on your feet. They like dark, wet places, like the insides of sweaty shoes. They grow when you sweat, so not wearing socks really gives them a boost.
When conditions are right, bacteria will eat your feet and it can cause eczema. These bacteria eat your skin’s dead cells and oils. These bacteria will grow and start making organic acids to get rid of waste. It smells bad because of these organic acids. Let’s discuss how you can get rid of these smelly feet.
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How To Get Rid Of Smelly Feet
When you take off your shoes, do your feet smell bad? You’re not the only one. It is very common to have stinky feet. You can have a biopsy test to find out the reason. Find out what you can do to stop it.
Wearing Socks
Socks can help with smelly feet and reduce the number of times your feet sweat. Socks, especially ones made of materials that wick away sweat, can soak up sweat and reduce smells.
Socks are also easy to change, which can help get rid of smells that might be stuck in a person’s shoes.
Shoes-Shoes
Before knowing how to get rid of smelly feet permanently. Focus on, if you wear shoes that let some air in, it will be less likely that you will sweat or get wet. People can look for shoes with mesh panels, which let air in and let the feet breathe.
Plastic shoes, like “jellies,” are almost guaranteed to make your feet smell because they don’t let air in and make your feet sweat.
Shoes And Socks On And Off
People should let their shoes dry out completely between uses to keep their feet from smelling too bad.
If you wear one pair of shoes one day and another pair the next, the shoes will have time to dry.
A person may also want to bring an extra pair of socks to change into during the day. This can make you sweat less and smell less.
Changing The Insoles
People can also replace the insoles of their shoes with ones that don’t smell or that kill bacteria.
You could also buy a spray that kills germs or cleans up messes and use it on the insoles. But this usually doesn’t work as well as letting the insoles of the shoes dry out fully.
So, how to get rid of smelly feet permanently then?
Using A Scrub On The Feet
People can get rid of dead skin cells that bacteria like to eat by using a scrub or a pumice stone.
Experts at Doctors Hospital say that people with smelly feet might want to use a pumice stone twice or three times a week to keep dead skin from building up. You can buy pumice stones on the Internet.
People should also wash their feet every day with antibacterial soap, paying special attention to the spaces between the toes.
Salt Soak
Soaks can be helpful on their own or as part of a routine to remove dead skin.
A bowl or tub of warm water can be used to dissolve 1/2 cup of Epsom salts. Soak the feet for ten to twenty minutes, and then dry them well.
People may also use other things, like a foot soak with Listerine to get the answer to how to get rid of smelly feet permanently.
Vinegar Soak
A vinegar soak is another way to soak. A person can soak their feet for 15–20 minutes in a tub with 2 parts warm water and 1 part vinegar. Either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar will work.
But someone with cuts, sores, or scratches shouldn’t use a vinegar soak because the vinegar could irritate the skin.
Antiperspirant
One more thing that can help is putting antiperspirant on the feet. Antiperspirant is usually used for the underarms, but it might also help stop your feet from sweating too much.b
Iontophoresis
Dr. Rabia Sohail who is one of the top general physicians in Pakistan says that iontophoresis is a process that can be used to help someone with smelly feet. For this method, a mild electric current is sent through the water to the skin for 15–40 minutes, depending on the device, to stop the feet from sweating.
Botox
Botox, or botulinum toxin, can also be injected. This is another option that some people choose. This medicine will be put into the feet by a doctor using a method called plantar injections. One study reveals that Botox might help stop sweating on the soles of the feet, but not enough research has been done to say for sure.
But these injections can be very painful and may not be the best way to treat the problem. The effects usually last for 3–4 months, after which the person will need more treatments.
Botox can also be used to stop people from sweating too much under their arms.
How To Know When To See A Doctor
If a person’s feet start to smell all of a sudden, they should check their feet for cuts or sores that could get infected. They can put a mirror on the floor and look at the feet’s bottoms to see if there are any problems.
If someone’s feet look like they are hurt, they should see a doctor. There may be an infection if the skin is red, has red streaks, or is swollen. A person should talk to a doctor right away about this, especially if they have diabetes because it could lead to complications.
If a person’s feet don’t smell and they don’t have any wounds, over-the-counter and at-home steps should help. A person with smelly feet shouldn’t have to suffer or feel bad about themselves, and they should see a doctor.
Things You Should Consider
One study reveals that the smell of sweat was found to come from isovaleric acid, which is made when a species that lives on the skin normally, breaks down enzyme in sweat. The shoes most people wear can sometimes cause their feet to smell bad. But some people may have trouble finding a solution for smelly feet, and in some cases, they may sweat too much.
But many home remedies, like exfoliation, soak, and antiperspirants can make the condition less likely to happen. Botox and other treatments can also be given by a doctor to help get rid of foot odor.
