No one likes unpleasant foot odor. Foot perspiration can increase in the summer, and while it’s perfectly natural, some of our actions can increase sweating and others can reduce it.
The intensity of the smell or the sweating itself is a very individual issue, while if you are struggling with excessive foot sweating or have a bad sweat smell, in this article we will give you a hint from which side to look at the problem.
Sweating – it’s a natural process!
First of all, you must remember that sweating is a natural process that occurs in every human being. Its main purpose is to cool the body, hence in summer there is more activity of sweat glands. In some places on the body, the number of sweat glands is greater – in the armpits, hands, feet, but also in the head area or face.
Interestingly, sweat itself is odorless, but it is when it comes into contact with the bacteria present on the skin that an unpleasant odor is produced. As you can see, you can see right from the start that hygiene is very important. Feet have the least access to air (especially if you wear poor quality footwear) which promotes the formation of bacteria, and thus – the secretion of unpleasant smelling sweat.
Excessive foot sweating – where does it come from?
Another important element to understand is the notion of where excessive sweat gland activity actually comes from. Why might one person sweat less and another more, even if they walk in the same shoes, for example?
“This type has it so”, or genetic and natural causes of hyperhidrosis of the feet
As we mentioned, the process of sweating itself is completely natural. Some people may have more sweat glands on their feet, train more often, etc. What affects the secretion of excessive amounts of sweat?
- Exercise, running, playing sports,
- excessive stress,
- hormonal disorders,
- systemic diseases,
- neurological diseases,
- genetics,
- a diet rich in hot spices,
- strong coffee,
- alcohol.
All of these can cause increased sweating. Likewise, it is strongly influenced by genetics and how our foot is constructed. It is impossible for every person to have exactly the same number of sweat glands.
Don’t put extra weight on your feet – look into footwear and socks!
One of the most effective ways to prevent odor is to choose the right socks and footwear. What do you think will happen to the foot if it is even , “cooking” all day in low-quality material/plastic that does not breathe?
For this reason, we recommend (and manufacture our footwear) in several materials:
- natural leather, which is air permeable and allows the foot to breathe,
vegan grain leather, which works the same way and is ideal for people who don’t want to use zoonotic products, - microfiber, a material that is perfectly air permeable and gives a , “second breath” to any shoes in which they are used.
- socks with the highest possible % of cotton, so as not to irritate the foot with additional, unpleasant material.
By applying these principles to the purchase of shoes, you can be sure that the problem of sweaty feet will be less. At Magical Shoes, we produce shoes only from such materials that are healthy for the skin of the foot, also do not hesitate to visit our store.
Could excessive sweating be due to poor foot hygiene?
The answer to this question you’ve surely guessed by now – since it’s bacteria that largely contributes to the odor of sweat, so too can a lack of hygiene increase sweating. Clogged pores, oily skin that doesn’t breathe, overly dry skin that the body is trying to protect – all of these contribute to sweating. Normalizing it seems difficult, but rest assured – it only sounds that way. In most cases it is enough to regularly wash your feet, , “airing” your shoes, wearing clean socks and you will notice less sweating. If you haven’t done this so far, it’s worth taking a look at your foot skin care. While sweating may not yet be too difficult a problem, poor hygiene can lead, for example, to tinea pedis.
From time to time, it’s a good idea to replace your shoe insoles or use special disinfectants on your shoes. This allows you to stop the appearance of possible bacteria, and as a result, there are fewer chances of bad odor. In addition, the shoes will serve you much longer, because they will not be damaged by, for example, moisture, dirt or bacteria. Hygiene of the skin of the feet, but also of the whole body is essential!
It is worth remembering that a diet containing a lot of processed food also contributes to increased sweating. The body is busy processing it, which increases the effort and causes excessive sweating in the armpits, feet and other parts of the body.
Anti-perspirants – hit or miss?
Anti-sweat products such as antiperspirants work on a very similar principle. They are designed to block sweat glands, which in theory reduces sweating. Why in theory?
It all really depends on the agent we use. In many cases, if we use a product with a poor formulation (cheap or with a lot of chemicals) we can only make things worse. Temporary relief will make the body want to make up for it later.
In some highly drastic cases, aesthetic medicine treatments are used, which involve injecting substances under the skin. This paralyzes the sweat glands for a while, at least until the body dissolves the remedy. Even after dissolving, many people report reduced sweating, so such a treatment can be a way out for heavy sweaters.
You can also find pills in pharmacies, which are usually designed to support kidney function and reduce stress, which can also contribute to reduced sweating, but their effectiveness is a very individual matter.
Sweating feet – what can you do?
If you want to reduce foot sweating or reduce odor as much as possible, you can:
- take more care of your diet, i.e. eat as little processed food, fast food as possible, limit alcohol and other stimulants.
- take stronger care of proper foot hygiene, such as using the right soap for your skin. Remember that here more does not mean better – everything depends on the initial condition of your skin. Daily foot washing with the right product will give noticeable results!
- take care of proper footwear and socks – high quality, air-permeable materials will help reduce sweating,
- as a last resort, go for a suitable treatment.
As we have reiterated several times, foot sweating is a very individual matter, so you need to test on yourself what action will be most effective.
What is the treatment for excessive sweating?
There are several ways to treat excessive foot sweating (in addition, of course, to those mentioned earlier).
The treatment, depending on your situation, should be chosen by the appropriate specialist, or in this case a podiatrist. In general, treatment can start with pharmacological means, i.e. special remedies for the foot. The podiatrist will also remove keratoses, if necessary, and finally give useful information on care.
Another option is ionophresis, a treatment that uses electricity to reduce the activity of sweat glands. Injured ion channels of the glands cause a reduction in the amount of sweat produced. The effect can last up to two years, but requires at least several treatments.
Still another type of treatment is the administration of botulinum toxin, which blocks the nerves around the sweat glands. After such treatment, excessive sweating subsides for at least a few months.
If you don’t want to subject your foot to treatments, we encourage you to look into barefoot shoes, in which your foot will really breathe.
Leave a Reply