Foot Odor - Why do we get it?:

Have you ever been in a room with someone who has incredibly smelly feet? Perhaps it's just their shoes that stink so bad. Millions of people have trouble controlling their foot odor which unfortunately has a foul enough smell to clear out rooms. If you can believe it, many people have bad smelling feet and don't even know it. Unless someone speaks up and tells them, those with foot odor often go years without even understanding the stress they give others when their shoes are off. Bacteria thrive in warm, damp places and shoes are the ideal spot. The worst thing you can do is to wear shoes without socks, unless they are sandals or another type of shoe that has excellent ventilation. I know that growing up I would often just slip on my tennis shoes in the summer without putting on socks first. By the end of those few months I had some smelly shoes and my feet suffered too. Many girls and women are inclined to wear shoes without socks since this is more of a fashion statement than it is for guys. Foot odor doesn't discriminate on sex and I have personally known several females with stinky feet.

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The good news is that no matter how bad your feet smell, there is hope that you can reverse the course and have nice smelling feet within a month or so. Bromhidrosis is the official name given to foot odor and there are countless home remedies and store bought products to help relieve the symptoms. The 1000's of sweat glands on the soles of your feet are the leading cause of foot odor. When your feet perspire and sweat, the perspiration has no where to go making for a bad situation. Socks can definitely help wick up the sweat, but some people literally sweat through a pair of socks every day. Certainly some jobs are harder on the feet than others. Active professionals like athletes or those in the construction industry are constantly fighting sweaty feet and without some precautions will eventually end up with bad foot odor. The one thing that I found most important was buying new shoes. Eventhough you may wash your feet everyday in the shower or sink, when you put them back into a shoe that has bacteria in it, you are exposing your foot and toes to the same harsh conditions that caused the smelly foot to begin with. Ditch the shoes to get a clean start on clearing up your foot odor. Shoes that you exercise in are the biggest culprits since that is probably where you do the most sweating at any given time. Sometimes you can get away with just replacing the insoles or doing as little as washing the shoes. In any event, you need to tackle the problem of "smelly feet" on all fronts and wipe out the bacteria that cause the odor.

Home Foot Odor Remedies:

There are dozens of home remedies for eliminating foot odor and most of the ones listed will work in tandem with the rest. Don't think you can do just one and get rid of your foot odor. The first thing to do is to wash your feet everyday in anti-bacterial soap. It's the bacteria build up that causes the foot odor so bathe your tootsies at least once a day to keep them clean and bacteria free. The next important step is to dry your feet completely. This means getting all the moisture out between the toes. For those of you with excessively sweaty feet, consider putting a product like Johnson's Baby Powder on your feet after you have washed and dried them thoroughly. The baby powder will help keep moisture to a minimum going forward. Covering your feet before placing them in shoes is also very important. Make sure the socks you choose are made of cotton or wool so they can absorb the sweat better. Keep in mind that you should only wear your socks for one day, don't put on a pair of dirty socks even if they look and smell clean. Shoes are another issue when it comes to foot odor (as mentioned above). Whenever possible switch off between a few different pair of shoes every other day. This gives each pair of shoes times to air out. My worst foot odor occured when I was teenager wearing leather Topsiders without socks all summer. You can only imagine what they smelled like after 90 days of sweaty feet and never having a chance to breathe properly. Lastly, whenever possible try to go barefoot or wear breathable sandals to help give you feet a break from confined shoes that don't allow them to breathe properly. If you follow these guidelines for at least 30 days and even through in a new pair of shoes you should see some results.

Getting Rid of Smelly Feet:

There are lots of products available that can help your battle with foot odor. One of the most popular is ONOX Foot Solution Spray ($10) which comes in a 4 ounce bottle and promises odor-free feet. Lavilin Cream ($13) comes in a 1/2 oz size container on Footsmart.com and is a deodorant for your feet. Apply it just once a day and smell the results. The New Balance Shoe Deodorizer ($4) is another excellent product that gets great reviews. Just spray the formula into your shoes to neutralize the odors. Odor Eaters is another brand name product with sprays for your shoes. You can also buy the Odor Eater Insoles ($4 to $6) as a simple way to replace your current stinky insoles. If all the store bought products aren't enough to help with your sweaty feet that attract bacteria, it might be time to visit your local foot doctor or podiatrist. Sometimes you will be prescribed ointments like aluminum chloride hexahydrate (20% solution) to help fight the odor. Other times you may have to get electrical currents passed into your feet by the foot doctor to cut down on the amount of perspiration.

Best type of sock to wear if you have smelly feet:

When you are first starting to treat your foot odor, it's important to change your socks at least once a day. Those with really sweaty feet should consider two sock changes a day in the beginning. For women, Footsmart.com recommends the Wigwam Women's Merino/Silk Quarter Socks ($13) which are made with 45% Coolmax polyester, 25% merino wool, 22% stretch nylon, 6% silk, and 2% spandex. The combination of materials make for the ideal sock that wicks up moisture, keep your feet dry, and comfortable and warm. For men, go with the Feetures Men's Cushioned No Show Socks ($8/pair) which will keep your feet dry, cool, and moisture free. Once again the yarn content of Fresh FX, Coolmax Polyester, Nylon, Spandex, and Olefin create the perfect sock.

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