When it's hot out, our feet sweat. And when our feet sweat, they can start to stink. Our skin is designed to cool the body by sweating, which is just water evaporating and taking some of the heat with it. But when our feet sweat, bacteria and fungi will throw a party in your shoes. This can lead to the development of athlete’s foot, warts and other fungal infections. EEK!
No one wants to be the person with smelly feet. But don't worry, there are things you can do to prevent and treat stinky, sweaty feet. The key to treatment is keeping feet dry and eliminating any bacteria or fungi that are causing the problems. In most cases, this is something you can do at home. We recommend trying the following self-treatment steps for a month:
- Wash your feet every morning and after athletic activities with a deodorizing, antifungal and antibacterial soap such as Mod Pod Clean. Dry them thoroughly and apply a foot antiperspirant called Mod Pod Fresh. Just rinsing them off is not good enough! Fresh is specially formulated to keep your feet dry and fight odor-causing bacteria.
- Apply foot powder to your feet and in between the toes before putting socks and shoes on. This will help prevent moisture build-up and excessive friction.
- Avoid wearing cotton socks. They will just hold excessive sweat against your skin. I suggest moisture wicking socks, such as socks made of bamboo thread or merino wool. P.S. – We have a discount code for some great socks here.
- Give your shoes time to dry out by alternating your shoes each day. Try not to wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row if you perspire a lot.
- Sanitize shoes that you wear frequently with a Shoe Zap. The Shoe Zap kills odor-causing bacteria and fungus with a UV light. It only takes 15 minutes to sterilize your shoes and then your shoes are ready to wear again. The Shoe Zap is available in office, no appointment required.
So, there you have it. A few tips to help you prevent and treat stinky, sweaty feet. No one wants to deal with smelly feet, but luckily there are things you can do to help. If you have any questions or concerns about sweaty feet, please call our office at 859-264-1141 or schedule an appointment online.