Credit: Dr. Hyate Sarafa
Are you afraid to take off your shoes or socks in public because of foot odor? Does the smell of your feet bother you even more?
They may be affected by what is commonly called foot odor. The disease can be embarrassing in public.
This condition is most often caused by sweating on your feet. Odor is created when your socks and shoes do not let the sweat evaporate.
As the bacteria on the skin of our feet feed on our feathers, the odor increases.
Why do our feet smell?
Anyone can get foot odor at any time. It should not be hot. However, the disease is more common in pregnant women and adolescents. During this time, our body is undergoing hormonal changes, making us more susceptible to the disease.
People who stand or worry for a long time are more likely to sweat and are more susceptible to the disease.
There are shoes and socks that make us sweat more. When left unmanaged, they can be left astray and lose the right path. Bacteria that grow on our feathers feed on a substance called lysozyme in our feathers and produce isovaleric acid. This is the acid that creates the odor. It smells like bacteria.
🔹 If we have hyperhidrosis, we will sweat more and be more susceptible to the disease.
If we do not keep our bodies clean, we will get sick. People who do not wash their feet regularly or change socks create a comfortable environment for the bacteria on their feet.
There are many things we can do at home to eradicate the disease. Here are some of them:
1) Yeast
Yeast or sodium bicarbonate is the perfect remedy for foot odor. It changes the chemical composition of our feathers, preventing bacteria from multiplying.
Add the yeast to the hot water and soak your feet in water for 15-20 minutes. We have to keep doing this for a week. Otherwise, you may need to add a little yeast to your shoes and socks before putting on your shoes.
2) Lavender oil
Lavender oil smells good and is known to kill bacteria.
It is known for its anti-oxidant and anti-fungal properties. We can get rid of the disease by soaking our feet in lukewarm hot water. We need to walk for 15-20 minutes. It needs to be done twice a day.
3) Acheto
Acetone has an acidic content that prevents bacteria from growing.
Any type of acetone can be used. It is enough to soak our feet for 10-15 minutes by mixing half a glass and 8 glasses of hot water. Finally, we can wash our feet with soap to remove odors.
4) Cedar wood oil
In addition to its pleasant aroma, cedar oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is an effective remedy for foot odor. It or coconut oil can be used to kill foot bacteria.
It also helps to soften the skin. After rubbing the oil on our feet for a few minutes, we can move on to the socks. It should be done once a day for a week.
5) Baby Powder
Baby powder, or talcum powder, dries our feathers and protects our feet from bad odors. We can prevent bad breath by spraying it on our feet or shoes at least two or three times a day.
6) Ginger
Ginger is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. After grinding the medium-sized ginger, we soak it in hot water for 10-15 minutes. Then we take the ginger out of the water and apply it on our feet.
It is recommended that you do this before going to bed. Repeat for two weeks. If you continue to wear dirty or damp socks, the solutions listed here may not work. In this case, they are only temporary relief. You can try alternatives until you find the solution that works best for you.
Other methods of preventing foot odor
- Wash our feet daily with soap. We need to clean it thoroughly to remove mud and dead cells.
- Cut our toenails regularly
- Explore our lower legs and look for strong spots. A strong place is where dead cells are. To avoid this, it is best to soak your feet in warm, salty water.
- Change socks regularly.
- Wear loose-fitting shoes
