How to Prevent Smelly FeetStinky feet is a very common problem medically known as Bromodosis. It can be very embarrassing and unpleasant for you and for the people around you. The main cause of smelly feet is wearing the same shoes everyday.
The feet and hands have more sweat glands than any other part of body, with roughly 3000 glands/ square inch. Smelly feet is physically uncomfortable for everyone.
Anyone can get smelly feet but teenagers and pregnant women are more likely to have this as hormonal changes make them sweat more. Foot perspiration increases when anybody is on the feet all day, in the case of much stress and a medical condition called Hyperhidrosis, in which person sweat more than usual. Fungal infections can also lead to bad feet odor.
The bad smell of feet can be treated by following some of home remedies:
1. Wash the feet well: The sweat glands in the feet produce perspiration composed of water, fats, minerals, salt & acids which are end products of body’s metabolism. These sweat producing secretions break down in presence of certain bacteria and produce a foul smell. Washing away the feet well removes bacteria and lessens the smell. Wash the feet with deodorant soap.
2. Use Antiperspirant: Deodorants or antiperspirants which are used for underarms can be used for feet also. These have antibacterial agents that kill the bacteria and eliminate the odor which ensues when sweat meets bacteria and also reduce sweat too.
3. Use Feet Fresh Socks: Try the socks which let you breathe. Some sport socks have ventilation panels to keep the feet dry and antibacterial socks are impregnated with some chemicals which discourage the growth of odor producing bacteria which feed on sweat.
4. Choose Good Shoes: Avoid wearing plastic shoes and go for leather, canvas or mesh which let your feet breathe. Try to prefer open shoes like sandals whenever possible as they allow air onto the feet and evaporate sweat and reduces the growth of odor producing bacteria.
5. Eat Wisely: Avoid strong flavored foods like onions. garlic, pepper etc. as they have the substances which give them strong flavor and aroma and pass throughout the blood stream and eventually concentrate in the smelling sweat.
6. Keep Calm: Too much stress and anxiety increases the production of sweat and gives rise to the bacteria which feed on sweat. In this case get some changes in the life or try some stress reduction techniques.
