Why Feet Smell

Foot odor. Gross. Even saying the words in your head brings to mind a lot of pictures, ideas and memories. Not good ones either. Nonetheless, let’s talk about this “elephant in the room.”

It’s a common stereotype that all feet smell. While in most cases this is accurate, do you really know the cause of it?

Since feet are frequently exposed to moisture due to sweating and wet weather conditions, fungal infections are common. These fungal infections usually lead to foot odor. Chronic foot odor can signal an infection or heavy perspiration/sweating of the feet.

Fungal infections, like athlete’s foot, can be prevented in the following ways:

• Wash and dry your feet thoroughly, taking extra care to dry between the toes, especially after working out. Additionally, there are many over-the-counter foot powders you can use to keep your feet dry.
• Keep socks and footwear clean and dry. For example, if you go for a run on a rainy day, throw your shoes in the dryer afterwards. Additionally, always change out of wet socks after any sort of activity.
• Wear footwear made of breathable materials that allow air to circulate around the feet; constricting footwear, stockings, and socks can trap moisture and perspiration on the feet.
• Do not use someone else’s foot hygiene instruments, such as emery boards, nail clippers, or foot files. These all contain crazy amounts of bacteria that could lead to an infection.
• Do not walk barefoot in public areas such as showers, pools, or locker rooms; instead, wear plastic flip-flops, slides, or shower shoes. Pretty self-explanatory here. We’ve all been in these situations before, just need to be smart about them.

Fungal infections and foot odor are something you want to avoid at all costs. A few basic proactive activities can go a long way to preventing these issues from happening.

Billy Kanter CPED