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Foot Odor

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Foot Odor
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Foot Odor

There's a whiff of something in the air that's distinctly... foot. The Is that me?! panic sets in. Many of us have been in your, ahem, shoes. The odd case of bromodosis—yep, foot odor even has its own very official name—is usually nothing to worry about. Here are a few possible reasons your tootsies stink to high heaven and what to do about the stench.

1.Your sweat has gotten out of control.
Well, to be fair, it's not really the sweat's fault. When you've got sweaty feet, the moisture and warmth produce a feeding frenzy for bacteria hanging out on your skin. The bacteria actually create the odor by breaking down your sweat and dead skin cells. Pleasant, no?

The best way to fight sweat-related stink is to change your socks on the regular, especially when they're moist, says Alex Kor, DPM, a staff podiatrist at Johns Hopkins Medicine and president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine. "You want to wear something that wicks the moisture away," he says, noting that merino wool is a particularly good fabric to look for

2.You don't give your shoes a rest.
Just like your socks, your shoes shouldn't stay warm and moist, either, which is why many podiatrists will recommend that you don't wear the same pair day after day. Of course, "a lot of people can't afford to do that," Kor says, especially if your job requires a certain shoe. Foot hygiene becomes even more important if you're always in the same pair of shoes. Clean and scrub your feet, and use a pumice stone or PedEgg to scrape off dry skin, he says. The type of shoe you wear can help, too. "If you're known to have foot odor, wear something that breathes," Kor says.

3.You're hormonal.
A swing in your hormone levels can also change your sweat production and your general smell overall, so pregnant women, menopausal women, and even acne-riddled teenagers might notice a whiff of something particularly pungent coming from their feet. That said, people in the midst of puberty, pregnancy, or rounding life's corner often have bigger fish to fry. "It's not like I see a ton of teenagers or pregnant women with foot odor as their main complaint," Kor says. (Balance your hormones and lose up to 15 pounds in just 3 weeks!)

4.An infection got the best of you.
Athlete's foot is one of gym-goers' biggest fears, and on top of the discomfort, the fungus can also contribute to foot odor, Kor says. Well-meaning athletes, however, are likely to make one key mistake, he says: "Moisture between the toes will itch for a lot of people," he says. Thinking it must be fungus, those exercisers will apply an anti-fungal cream, hoping to nip things in the bud. Instead, the moisture from the cream just makes things worse. Save the cream for just the bottoms and sides of your feet, and opt for anti-fungal powder between the toes, Kor says.

5.You're freakin' the @#%$ out.
Anyone who has had their feet held to the fire (no, not literally!) knows that feeling added pressure and stress often means feeling extra sweaty, too. "There's no doubt that when people are under more stress, they're going to sweat more," Kor says. That stress-induced sweat, however, is made up of different ingredients than regular heat-induced sweat because it's produced in a different type of sweat gland, and it typically leads to a worse smell. Consider keeping a few spare pairs of socks at the office, or wherever you find yourself feeling most stressed.
1.Wash Your Feet Daily
Keep your feet scrupulously clean. Use warm, soapy water and wash your feet every day, says Langer. Scrub gently with a soft brush, even between your toes, and be sure to dry your feet thoroughly. (Here's why your feet smell.)

2.Use Powder
After washing, apply foot powder or cornstarch to help sweating feet stay drier, says Langer.

3.Sprinkle Your Shoes
Another good method to avoid hot, sweaty feet is to treat your shoes—sprinkle the insides with talcum powder or cornstarch, says Suzanne M. Levine, DPM, PC.

4.Use An Antiperspirant
The key to controlling odor is to use either an antiperspirant or a deodorant on your feet. You can buy foot deodorants or simply use your underarm brand. Keep in mind that deodorants eliminate odor, but they don’t stop perspiration. Antiperspirants take care of both problems. Levine recommends products that contain aluminum chloride hexahydrate.

Don’t use an antiperspirant if you have athlete’s foot, says Stephen Weinberg, DPM, because it will sting. “I recommend roll-on products rather than sprays, because most of a spray’s antiperspirant action is lost in the air,” he says. “Use the product two or three times a day in the beginning, then gradually cut back to once a day.” (Make sure to avoid these 7 ingredients in your antiperspirant.)

5.Change Your Socks—Often
Always wear clean, dry socks. Change them when they get sweaty—as frequently as necessary—even a few times a day, says Glenn Copeland, D.P.M.

6.Avoid Cotton Socks
Cotton holds moisture next to the skin and can make foot odor worse, says Langer. Wool is a better choice because wool fibers wick moisture away from the skin. Synthetic fibers also have wicking properties.

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Foot Odor

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