Bad foot odor: causes, treatment methods, remedies for foot odor

30.09.2021 -

Causes of unpleasant foot odor in adults and children. How to get rid of unpleasant foot odor?

The unpleasant amber exuded by the legs can bring a lot of inconvenience and anxiety to a person. People, whose feet spread odors that irritate the nose, often feel uncomfortable at a party, in public locker rooms, they are embarrassed to try on shoes in the store, and in general, they try not to take off their shoes anywhere.

In addition, this problem is quite common among both men and women. Even small children sometimes fall into the category of people with the smell of feet. Therefore, let's try to figure out what is the reason for such inconveniences, and how you can deal with them.

Unpleasant foot odor, reasons

The only cause of unpleasant foot odor is the active multiplication of pathogenic bacteria and microbes on the soles of the feet. However, there are quite a few factors contributing to their rapid spread:

Synthetic footwear. Such shoes do not allow air to pass through to the foot, which only improves the conditions for the growth of bacteria and enhances the smell.
Hosiery products made from low-quality materials. As with shoes, synthetic materials prevent the foot from breathing
An individual feature of the body, consisting in profuse sweating
Deviation from the rules of hygiene (wearing dirty socks, wet shoes, irregular removal of rough skin of the feet)
Metabolic disorders due to improper diet
Certain diseases accompanied by heavy sweating (tuberculosis, menopause, diabetes mellitus, problems with the thyroid gland, vascular or nervous system)
Stress and anxiety causing sweating
Overly active lifestyle, playing sports
Hormonal imbalances can increase sweat production and foul odor
Fungal infections
Weakening of immunity, disarming the body in the fight against bacteria

Bad smell under toenails, reasons

The main reason for the appearance of an unpleasant odor under the nails is all the same microbes and bacteria. However, if the odor comes directly from under the nail, it could be a sign of nail fungus.
As a rule, the fungus is also accompanied by the appearance of a yellowish-greenish tint under the nail. Such a disease does not go away by itself - it must be treated.
To do this, you need to contact a dermatologist at a dermatovenerologic dispensary. Only he can prescribe the necessary tests and treatment.

There are several reasons for the appearance of fungus under the toenail:

Lack of hygiene and irregular washing of the feet
Weakened immunity, unable to fight fungal bacteria
Wounds, abrasions, corns and cuts on the legs
Reaction to antibiotics and other powerful drugs
Excessive sweating in the leg area

If the cause of the unpleasant odor under the toenails was still not a fungus, then the factors that provoked its appearance can be called the same factors that contribute to the unpleasant odor of the feet themselves.

Oddly enough, the legs of children are much more likely to emit an unpleasant odor than the legs of adults. This disease is called bromhydrosis.
There are many reasons for its occurrence in children - these are low-quality shoes, and synthetic socks, and digestive problems, and fungal diseases of the feet.

In order to help their baby not to feel discomfort from the unpleasant smell of his feet, parents should adhere to the following rules:

It is advisable to buy for children only leather shoes or shoes that can let air in. Also, the child is recommended to have several pairs of shoes so that she has time to ventilate or dry out after wet weather.
A child needs to buy socks only from natural materials - a combination of cotton and acrylic is perfect (acrylic will help to quickly remove moisture from the fabric). Also, the rule of daily replacement of socks should become mandatory. If the baby is involved in sports, then he should have two pairs of socks for the day - one for sports and the other for everyday wear.
The child should eat a balanced diet in order to avoid problems with the digestive tract. After all, it is because of the imbalance in the child's body that intoxication occurs, which comes out along with sweat. Toxins, of course, never smell good. Therefore, the child's diet should include only natural products (more vegetables and fruits)
It is imperative to observe the drinking regime - moisture actively removes harmful substances and toxins from the body
The baby can be given active supplements, such as chlorophyll, to combat intoxication in the body.
You can also give your child daily baths using aromatic oils and add droplets of such oils to children's shoes.
With the help of aromatherapy, you can not only get rid of an unpleasant odor, but also provide excellent prevention of its occurrence.

In any case, you cannot let everything go by itself, and leave the child alone with this rather difficult problem. If all of the above methods of dealing with an unpleasant odor in children have not helped, it is advisable to consult a specialist. After all, the cause of its occurrence can be a more serious disease that requires urgent treatment.

Sour foot odor: reasons and how to get rid

Sometimes a person's feet can spray an unpleasant sour smell into the air or, as some still associate it, a "cheesy" smell. In this case, shallow pits may appear on the surface of the skin of the feet.
At times, while walking, a person may experience some discomfort and tingling in the feet. This phenomenon is called keratolysis.
Keratolysis is caused by a number of bacteria that, using sweat or moisture from the environment, erode the skin's surface and release volatile acidic odors into the air
If you find these symptoms in yourself or your child, you need to consult a dermatologist. He will most likely advise you to pass a number of tests and prescribe treatment.
As a rule, the treatment of keratolysis consists in the use of a variety of ointments, creams or mummies based on antibacterial agents.
Even if antibiotics do not give the desired result, doctors prescribe a course of taking erythromycin in the form of tablets for a month.

What to do if your feet smell bad? How to treat foot sweat odor?

Do not panic about the unpleasant smell of feet. If you follow some rules and tips, you can get rid of it quickly enough. This will require the following:

Hygiene. You need to wash your feet regularly and thoroughly, using a washcloth and antibacterial soap. Do not forget about the area between the fingers - this is the most convenient place for life and reproduction of microbes and fungi.
After washing your feet, be sure to wipe it off with a towel, because it is moisture that is the best helper for bacteria.
Disinfection. After bathing, you can apply an alcohol-based sanitizer to your feet. If such a remedy is not available, you can use regular alcohol and vinegar. To do this, you need to mix all the named ingredients in equal proportions and apply them to the skin of the legs using a spray.
Deodorant agents. It is also possible to use special antiperspirants and deodorants. Wait until the product is dry before dressing. If you don't have an antiperspirant for your feet, you can use some handy products to dry your skin well and kill bacteria. These include soda, talc, and cornstarch.
Shoes. When choosing shoes, it is better to focus on leather models, or those options that are made of natural breathable textiles
It is best to avoid materials such as plastics and rubber, which only increase the odor of sweat. In summer, it is better to wear open shoes - a sock must be open
In no case should you walk in wet shoes - they should be given at least twenty-four hours to dry completely. Therefore, it is better to have several pairs of shoes.
If this is not possible, then you can purchase a special foot dryer - it can dry shoes in just eight hours.
Shoes also need to be washed or washed regularly - in some cases, you can even use a washing machine for this purpose.
Socks. When wearing closed shoes, be sure to wear socks. They allow you to absorb excess moisture
Socks should also be made from natural materials - nylon or other synthetic fabrics trap moisture inside, which only provokes the spread of unpleasant odors. Socks need to be changed every day, and sometimes several times a day - socks must be dry
Socks need to be washed inside out - this way there will be more chances for complete cleansing of them from keratinized particles of the skin of the legs, and, accordingly, bacteria
Baths. You can regularly pamper your feet with a variety of baths. The simplest are baths with soda (it creates an alkaline environment that is extremely negative for the growth of microbes), salt (preferably sea) and a small amount of vinegar (a good disinfectant)
Traditional healers offer foot baths with the addition of various natural ingredients (oak or willow bark, horsetail, nettle, sage, mint, walnut leaves, chamomile)

Preparations for foot odor: Teymurov's paste, Formidron, Burnt alum, Boric acid, zinc ointment, lavender oil

To combat unpleasant foot odor, pharmaceutical companies offer a huge selection of various drugs and remedies:

Anti-odor foot creams... We will talk about them a little later.
Powders for feet
Lotions for feet... These lotions have a disinfecting and deodorizing effect on the skin of the feet. Before applying the lotion, be sure to wash your feet thoroughly with soap and dry with a towel. After application, you must wait until the lotion is absorbed, and only then put on your shoes. The most famous foot lotion against sweat is considered "5 days" from "Galeno Farm"
Ointments for the smell of feet. Pasta Teymurov- one of the most popular drugs used to combat unpleasant foot odor. This product has antibacterial and drying properties. It contains salicylic and boric acids, talc and zinc oxide
Before applying the paste, your feet should be thoroughly washed and dried naturally (without using a towel). Then the paste must be rubbed into the skin of the legs for a couple of minutes. The procedure is performed four days in a row before bedtime
Another popular and rather budgetary ointment is zinc ointment... It is able to prevent excess perspiration, eliminate odor and soften the skin. Foot ointments based on natural ingredients include DEO control... This ointment is composed of shea butter, lavender, tea tree and cocoa, as well as vitamins. These ingredients provide DEO control with good antiseptic and emollient properties.
Lavender oil... Lavender oil has antibacterial, antifungal and refreshing effects on the skin of the feet. This oil is used as an additive to the bath. A few drops of lavender must be diluted in milk and added to the bath. The recommended exposure time is twenty minutes. It is advisable to do this kind of bath a couple of times a week.
Formidron- a preparation based on formaldehyde, which has an antibacterial and refreshing effect on the skin of the legs. Formidron must be applied and rubbed into the skin of the feet. Since the drug has an excellent drying effect, you need to monitor its dosage, otherwise you can severely dry the skin.
Burnt alum- a preparation based on potassium-aluminum alum with a strong anti-inflammatory, sweat-absorbing and bacteria-blocking effect. Burnt alum is available in powder form, so it is used as a dusting powder in the morning. Applying the drug in the morning to clean, dry skin, in the evening it must be thoroughly washed off
Boric acid- a drug with a good antiseptic effect. Boric acid is poured directly into the sock before dressing. These socks should be worn on dry, clean feet. After using the socks, they must be sent to the wash, and the feet must be thoroughly washed.

Anti-odor foot cream DRY-DRY, Lavilin, "5 days", Deo-control, Chistostop Deo, folk healer, 911 nepotin, foot cream from Green Pharmacy

Let's take a look at the most popular foot creams that can help manage odor:

DRY-DRY foot cream... This drug, produced by the Swedish company Scandi Line, contains aluminum chloride hydrate and denatured alcohol. These chemicals help block sweat from escaping through the legs and redirect it to other parts of the body. The drug must be applied to washed and dried skin of the feet one hour before bedtime. In the morning, you can wash your feet - the cream has already been absorbed, and its effect will be noticeable for five days
Lavilin foot cream... The drug is produced by the Israeli company Hlavin on the basis of simple components: talc, potato starch, zinc oxide, ethylhexylglycerin, triethyl citrate, calendula, arnica and chamomile. Lavilin foot cream, like the previous preparation, organizes a kind of plug for the sweat glands, while all formed bacteria are destroyed with the help of it.
Apply the drug to clean, dry skin. After some time, the feet can be wetted and washed, however, the components of the drug will still remain in the skin. Lavilin lasts about a week
Cream "5 days" from Galeno Farm... This preparation based on zinc oxide, cetyl alcohol, camphor and menthol is able to reduce perspiration, disinfect, dry, cool and refresh the skin of the feet. Apply the cream before going to bed on clean, dry skin.
Deo-control cream... The drug from the Kalina concern is created on the basis of natural ingredients: shea butter, lavender, tea tree, cocoa and vitamins. The cream fights the existing bacteria on the skin of the feet and creates a protective layer that prevents them from multiplying. Deo-control should be applied to dry, washed skin of the feet. Subsequent application is required only when the smell returns again.
Foot cream from Green Pharmacy... Cream based on zinc oxide, menthol, camphor and tea tree has refreshing, drying and antifungal properties. It is necessary to rub the cream into dry, clean feet after a shower. The effect is five days
911 nepotin cream
Chistostop Deo
Folk healer

Baby powder for foot odor

The main function of the foot powder is to dry the skin. It is much more difficult for bacteria to multiply on dry skin. You can buy foot powder at a pharmacy.

You can also use ordinary baby powder for these purposes.

Folk remedies for foot odor: talc, starch, salt, boric acid

If neither one nor that option suits you, you can use natural products that have a drying effect:

Talc
Potato starch
Corn starch
Edible salt
Boric acid powder

Benzoyl peroxide gel Baziron AS from Oxy Silver foot odor

Foot gels tend to work the same way as creams, just a slightly different texture. The most common gels include:

Benzoyl peroxide gel Baziron AS from Oxy Silver... This gel is usually prescribed to treat acne, but it is also great for combating unpleasant foot odor. The active substances of the gel have a detrimental effect on microbes. Baziron AC should be applied once a day to dry, clean skin of the feet.
Formagel reduces sweating, prevents the appearance of fungus and disinfects the skin surface. It is enough to apply the gel once a week to clean and dry skin of the feet, and then wash it off after half an hour.

In addition to the above methods and means of dealing with unpleasant foot odor, it is advisable to adhere to a few more tips:

During anxiety and stress, the body produces many times more sweat than in a calm state. Consider this when regularly trying to eliminate foot odor.
Crystal-based aerosols perfectly protect the skin from unwanted bacteria and fungi
If the smell is found outside the house, you can wipe your feet with wet antiseptic wipes or alcohol.
The correct metabolism and the absence of toxins are the key to normal sweating. A sufficient dose of zinc in the human body is also very important. It is the lack of zinc that can provoke the appearance of an unpleasant body odor.
It is advisable to wash your feet twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Sports activities involve washing your feet after exercise.
Socks need to be changed every day. Wear socks just before putting on your shoes. Walking around in socks for a while before shoeing, you run the risk of picking up excess bacteria.
Toenail trimming should be done regularly and carefully. After all, it is under them that microbes and fungi love to live most of all. And in the case of wounds or cuts during pedicure, bacteria live even more fun
Timely removal of keratinized skin areas on the feet of the feet allows bacteria to deprive a convenient place of existence