With cooler weather on the way, most of us have begun the process of putting our sandals away in exchange for warmer, closed-toed shoes.
Closed-toed shoes mean that our feet are abandoning the warm sunlight in exchange for a darker, often more moist living environment. With this, often comes (you guessed it) sweaty stinky feet!
Did you know that sweat does not actually smell?
However, when odorless sweat comes in contact with the bacteria that live on our skin (which thrive in warm, damp environments), it becomes a feeding frenzy and gives off that less than pleasant odor.
Sweaty feet may even predispose someone to get:
The bottom of your feet have more sweat glands per unit area than any other of your body! The more you sweat, the bigger the feast bacteria have, and the more your feet stink!
To help tackle foot odor, use the following tips:
- Wash feet daily with a mild soap.
- Buy socks with moisture-wicking properties such as bamboo or wool. Most socks made of cotton or nylon do not wick moisture away well.
- Washing shoes periodically, both inside and out in hot water. Spray the inside of shoes with a shoe disinfectant like Clarus Shoe Shield. Shoe sterilizers that utilize UV light are also very effective because they kill 99.9% of the bacteria that lead to foot odor.
- Don’t wear the same pairs of socks two days in a row because this invites more bacteria, and even fungus, to the party.
- If a person suffers from excessive sweating, there are several prescriptions strength medications that contain aluminum chloride to help stamp down the moisture.
If you’re ready to get a handle on your sweaty feet, give us a call at 859-264-1141 or make an online appointment today. You don’t have to dread the stench lurking in your shoes!