Feet that don't smell like roses happen to everyone world !
We've all known someone whose feet stink so much that it takes over the whole room!
Who knows ? Maybe you too have stinky feet sometimes.
Be aware that some people are more vulnerable to this condition, known medically as bromidrosis .
This is especially true for pregnant women, teenagers, the elderly.
But it is also sometimes the case for people who suffer from heart disease or diabetes and also super stressed people.
"Our feet are covered with about 500,000 sweat glands, which can produce a tremendous amount of sweat," says podiatry expert Dr. Schwartz.
"When we wear socks and shoes, our feet sweat. But the sweat does not escape.
"This creates a warm, moist environment that bacteria and other fungi love. As a result, they thrive there and produce particularly smelly gases."
So these are gases produced by microbes which sometimes make our feet smell bad!
But then, how to eliminate that cheese smell once and for all?
Discover now the infallible technique against stinky feet . Watch:
To have feet that do not smell bad, you must first know the right technique for washing them.
The problem is that most people don't wash their feet properly!
Fortunately, Dr. Kosinski, professor at the New York School of Podiatry, reveals the right way to wash your feet:
"To fight against smelly feet, wash them every day using a simple bar of soap, remembering to rub between your toes.
"When you get out of the shower, dry your feet well, including between the toes , because that's where moisture accumulates."
And finally, one last tip from Dr. Kosinski to neutralize bad odors:"Spray the inside of your shoes with an anti-odor and antibacterial spray."
Thanks to this little easy technique, you will be able to start each day with perfectly clean feet without any bad odor.
Home remedies such as salt baths, tea baths and white vinegar are super effective in eliminating bad foot odor.
Here are Grandma's best tricks to use to immediately neutralize bad smells:
- White vinegar foot bath: “Soak your feet every day in a basin of vinegar water (1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water),” suggests Dr. Kosinski. "Here, the idea is to naturally reduce the level of bacteria responsible for bad odors."
- Tea foot bath: according to Dr. Kosinski, this is the most effective home remedy. "Infuse 8 to 10 tea bags per liter of water. Leave to cool and soak your feet in it for about 20 minutes a day."
- Salt bath: put 150 g of coarse salt in 1 liter of water. Soak your feet in this bath for 10 to 15 minutes. Dry your feet thoroughly. This remedy also works with the famous Epsom salt.
- Powders: baking soda, talcum powder or cornstarch such as cornstarch are all known to absorb excess moisture on the feet. And in addition, these applications make the feet very soft.
Obviously for these grandmother's remedies to work, it is essential to wear clean and dry socks and shoes.
Have you tackled the bad smell of your feet? Well done ! It's time to switch to socks and shoes that cover your feet.
Here's the rule of thumb to prevent stinky feet from starting to smell. Buy only socks and shoes made with breathable materials.
"Synthetic materials provide less ventilation than natural materials," says Dr. Schwartz.
"Thus, polyester or nylon socks increase smelly sweats.
Conversely, natural materials like cotton and wool are more breathable materials that help limit the development of bacteria on the feet."
The same principle also applies to shoes.
"Wear shoes made with a breathable material, such as leather or fabric. This allows sweat to evaporate naturally," says Dr. Kosinski.
The podiatry expert also suggests testing the insoles with activated carbon.
"Some insoles contain activated carbon, which helps absorb bad foot odor."
Oh, and one last tip:never wear closed shoes without socks.
Indeed, as Dr. Schwartz explains. "It increases perspiration and the development of bacteria."
"Wearing closed shoes without socks also promotes the appearance of dead cells, dirt, sebum and fungus on your feet." Yum!
This is a basic principle.
Your socks should be changed every day to limit the accumulation of moisture and dead skin
And when it's particularly hot, you sweat more than usual.
In this case, do not hesitate to change your socks more than once a day.
Before throwing your socks in the washing machine, remember to turn them inside out.
The idea is to be 100% sure to clean off excess sweat and dead skin.
For shoes, it's a little different. Some can be machine washed without risk of damaging them.
Just read the washing labels and make sure they dry completely. Find out how here.
Other shoes, such as leather shoes, are unfortunately not machine washable.
Anyway, the idea here is to change your shoes every day and ventilate them well between each use by putting them outside for example.
"Try not to wear the same pair of shoes 2 days in a row," advises Dr. Kosinski.
"And at the end of the day, don't store your shoes in the back of a dark closet.
Instead, let them air out in a well-lit and ventilated area."
A method confirmed by Dr. Schwartz, who adds:"Dry your shoes as soon as possible, especially if they are damp or wet."
To neutralize shoe odors that smell bad, some use specialized powders.
Others prefer odor control sprays and still others cedar chips.
All of these methods are valid, according to Dr. Schwartz.
This one advises spraying antibacterial spray or dusting odor-busting powder on the inside of your shoes.
Want to prevent your shoes from smelling bad? There are also home remedies, such as baking soda, cornstarch (cornflour type) and talc.
These powders are excellent anti-odor allies, as they absorb humidity and odors while avoiding the development of bacteria .
Just sprinkle it in the evening inside your shoes and remove the excess in the morning (to be done every day).
To discover: 9 Tricks To Stop Your Shoes From Smelling.
In some cases, smelly foot sweat is so strong and persistent that it becomes necessary to see a doctor .
"If the above tips don't work, see a podiatrist or dermatologist. That specialist may prescribe a stronger antifungal medication or perform tests to determine the cause of excessive sweating," suggests Dr. Kosinski.
"Sometimes these bad odors can be a symptom of a more serious medical problem, especially in people with immune disorders," says Dr. Schwartz.
"It is also essential to detect any cuts, wounds, inflammation, redness or swelling on the skin or between the toes. In fact, bacterial infections of the skin or soft tissues generally produce strong odors."
Finally, be aware that diabetics should pay particular attention to smelly feet.
"If you have diabetes, see a doctor at the first sign of bad foot odor, as it may be a sign of a more serious problem," says Dr. Kosinski.
You Tried These Grandma's Remedies against smelly feet? Let us know in the comments if it worked. We can't wait to read you!
