Have you ever taken your shoes off and been accosted by an offensive and pungent odour? Has that smell lingered in the hall closet long after you’ve removed your shoes? Smelly feet can cause embarrassment and social awkwardness. There are several reasons feet and shoes may become smelly. Let’s explore the causes and what you can do at home to remedy this pesky issue!
What causes smelly feet and shoes?
Infection – Our feet are exposed to microorganisms, such as fungus and bacteria, constantly! Walking barefoot around public pools, showers, or gym spaces, increases the likelihood for infection. Athlete’s foot and onychomycosis (fungal toenails) can be malodorous and uncomfortable. Erythrasma and pitted keratolysis are bacterial infections that can also be quite unpleasant. Our socks and shoes are warm, dark, and moist, the ideal environment for microorganisms!
Peeling or dry looking skin, redness, white or itchy skin on the bottom of the foot or in between the toes could signify a fungal or bacterial infection. Fungal toenails typically appear discoloured yellow, brown, or white and may become thick or crumbly. If you notice an odour in your shoes or coming from your feet, it’s best to seek medical advice. You could have an infection that requires treatment with an anti-fungal or anti-bacterial medication.
Sweating – Sweating is a natural process in the body that helps regulate temperature. Wearing socks and shoes all day can exacerbate sweating and could lead to foot odour. Excessive sweating is known as hyperhidrosis (hi-pur-hi-DROE-sis) and may cause social anxiety and embarrassment. If you notice your feet are smelly, you may have developed bromhidrosis (brohm-hi-DROE-sis), a complication of hyperhidrosis caused by the presence of bacteria. There are treatment options for excessive sweating such as astringents or anti-perspirants to help dry the skin, achieving improved moisture balance.
Lack of air flow – Wearing shoes can trap moisture inside and against the skin for hours at a time. Socks help to absorb moisture and are frequently laundered, whereas bare feet inside shoes can lead to odour. Taking shoes off at the end of a long day and immediately putting them away into a closet, enclosed area, or an athletic bag, doesn’t give them the opportunity to properly air out. This could result in a smelly shoe! At the end of a long day, allow your feet and shoes to air out.
Tips on how you can treat and prevent sweaty feet?
- Change socks daily and throughout the day if needed. Choose socks comprised of breathable and moisture wicking materials. Polyester, nylon, and wool are most effective at keeping the moisture level more balanced and skin on the feet healthier.
- Always try to wear shoes made of breathable materials such as leather or mesh. Rubber boots and Gore-Tex shoes are water-resistant and useful in wet weather, but this means they are inherently less breathable.
- Wash your feet daily to keep the surface of the skin clean which will reduce the risk for fungal and bacterial infections. If an odour is present, using an anti-bacterial soap to wash feet can help.
- Applying rubbing alcohol or using a foot powder can help to wick away moisture on the skin. Rubbing alcohol is an astringent which dries the skin and an antiseptic which cleans the skin. Some foot powders are formulated with antimicrobials to lessen the presence of fungus and bacteria. Powder can also cool and soothe irritated skin.
- It’s also important to treat your shoes, braces, and orthotics! Clean Sweep® is an antimicrobial spray fortified with nanosilver which is formulated to reduce the growth of bacteria, fungus and mold in shoes and devices that are in contact with feet. Amazingly, these treated items, are reactivated by perspiration. Clean Sweep® is available at BioPed Footcare and is an effective way to control smell emanating from your shoes.
Come See Us!
If you think you could have an infection, contact your Primary Care Provider or your BioPed Medical Footcare Clinician now to be assessed. For more information about smelly feet, give your local BioPed a call today to book an appointment. See you soon!
