The bad smell in the feet can be due to a large number of factors that are not directly related to the lack of hygiene, but to bacteria and bad habits regarding footwear and the conditions in which our feet are affected daily.
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Most common causes of foot odor
Foot odor can be caused by excessive sweating of the feet and the rapid growth of bacteria that lodge in them, which ends up creating the ideal environment for their formation.
The bad smell from feet, often reminiscent of cheese, is not sweat but bacteria. Bacteria called Brevibacterium feed on sweat. Bacteria and their excretions are the reason for smelly feet.
The main reasons for smelly feet and sweaty feet are usually the following:
- Wearing the same shoes every day. Bacteria need dark, damp places to reproduce. When the same shoes are worn too many times without drying them completely, the bacteria will have optimal conditions to proliferate.
- Poor hygiene. This is one of the most common causes, however, it seems the least recognized, and it is simply about learning to carry out proper hygiene with our feet to avoid the accumulation of bacteria and fungi.
- The hormonal changes can cause sweaty feet, especially among teenagers and pregnant women.
- Stress and nervousness can cause our feet to sweat and promote the bacteria that cause odor on the feet.
When we sweat, we mainly excrete saline solution, unpleasant foot odor is only when bacteria found on the skin add to sweat. Bacteria break down sweat and produce, among other things, butyric acid, which smells pungent and very characteristic, defined as “the smell of cheese.”
How to prevent foot odor
To avoid foot odor, use preventive measures. Wear cotton socks, as they will absorb sweat and allow your feet to breathe better than wearing synthetic socks. Leather or open shoes (sandals) are better than synthetic ones.
Change your shoes every day in order to give them a chance to dry. Buy a foot brush in your pharmacy and rub your feet, exfoliating both the feet and the rest of the body is proven to be very beneficial for the health of the skin and blood circulation.
Popular Remedies
There are a number of home remedies that you can use to treat this condition with effective results and in a short period of time. You should also consider changing certain bad habits so that the results are given more effectively.
Alum
Buy some alum in the spice section of your supermarket. Mix a teaspoon with one or two gallons of water in a container and soak your feet for 30 minutes, rinse with clean water, repeat after four days. Doing it once a month can eliminate foot odor.
Apple vinegar
To control foot odor, soak your feet several times a week in a third of a cup of apple cider vinegar in a small pot with warm water, this turns out to be a natural remedy widely used by grandmothers to treat odor problems. on the feet.
Using baking soda
Sprinkling baking soda on footwear is an effective method of preventing foot odor. The baking soda inside your shoes can absorb moisture and odors.
Soap
Wash your feet daily with soap (an antibacterial soap is preferable). Make sure to dry your feet and toes thoroughly as well, this will prevent the formation of foot fungus. This sheds the dead skin where bacteria can grow.
Use the properties of tea
Boil a liter of water and add 5 tea bags. After the water cools down, soak your feet for 30 minutes. The tannin in tea is an astringent, which will prevent your feet from sweating.
Foods with zinc
Try to eat foods that contain zinc. Zinc can make your skin more resistant to odor-causing bacteria. If you take zinc in multivitamins without medical supervision, high levels of zinc can interfere with copper absorption.
Zinc oxide
It is advisable to find a foot deodorant that contains zinc oxide and herbs. This type of deodorants has the advantages of helping to prevent the formation of bacteria and avoid the bad smell in the feet, at the same time that it prevents the fungus in the feet.