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What Causes Foot Odor?

Having smelly foot odor is hard to combat since your feet contain a huge number of sweat glands. In fact, each foot has thousands of them. While sweat all by itself is not a significant cause of odor, the microscopic organisms that feed on your sweat create a bad odor. So keeping the moisture under control will help to keep the bugs at bay. Fungicides and antibacterials will also help.

What causes foot odor?

  • Moisture, bacteria, and fungi—Sweat isn’t really the cause of the bad smell. It’s caused by the bacteria or fungi that feed on the sweat and secrete the odor as part of their metabolism. Always dry your shoes thoroughly and switch them out every other day. This will help to kill the bacteria and fungi.
  • Skin and toenail conditions—Fungi that cause athlete’s foot and fungal toenail infections can be a particularly stinky cause of foot odor.
  • Hyperhidrosis—This skin condition is responsible for extreme sweating episodes that often occur under the arms, on the palms, and on the bottom of the feet. Because of the excess moisture, bacteria and fungi will have an easier time propagating, and hence the odor will be harder to control.

To keep your feet smelling better, try these tips:

Wearing shoes made out of breathable material such as canvas or Gortex will allow moisture to evaporate more efficiently. Washing your feet daily with warm water and an antibacterial cleanser will also help. Be sure to dry your feet carefully, especially between the toes where moisture and microorganisms can flourish.

For foot odor that persists after conservative treatments, see your foot doctor since it may be caused by an underlying condition. Schedule an appointment with the Foot First Podiatry Center in New Albany, IN. Our highly qualified podiatrist Zahid Ladha, D.P.M. is dedicated to providing the best diagnostic care and medical treatment for you and your feet. Contact us at (812) 945-9221 and schedule an appointment today!

Foot First Podiatry

3605 Northgate Ct Ste 206
New Albany, IN 47150
(812) 945-9221 (812) 945-7141

Our Location

3605 Northgate Ct Ste 206 New Albany, IN 47150

Hours of Operation

The office is closed from 12:00 to 1:00 for lunch Monday thru Thursday.

Foot First Podiatry

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-4:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-1:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed