Nobody expects your feet to be pleasantly scented, especially after a long training session at the gym -let alone, a hike!- but now everytime you remove your socks in the locker room you are greeted with worrisome dirty looks. To the point of asking yourself “Are my feet too smelly? Should I see a specialist?”. This is undoubtedly an embarrassing situation, but quite often smelly feet have nothing to do with personal hygiene and you might indeed need to see a podiatrist to better understand your feet’s health.
Follow our guide to see what are the common causes for smelly feet and how to treat them, and we’ll get them smelling like roses in no time!
Smelly Feet? It’s Bromodosis!
Despite the scary sound of this word, it’s actually just the medical definition of this pretty common condition.
Symptoms are quite clear -and frankly, bothersome- but the causes can be countless but if the stench is really too much for you and your family to handle, you should nevertheless make an appointment to see a foot care specialist to help you assess the problem.
Generally speaking, feet don’t have a pleasant odour because, as other body parts do, they sweat. While this is completely normal, the situation might be aggravated by medical conditions, fungal infections or simply the wrong shoes. Changing them every two day might be a nice and cheap solution, to begin with, but let’s delve into all the possible causes and solutions.
Why Are My Feet Smelly?
Sure, washing them regularly with a good antibacterial soap is a good idea, but sometimes the smell might be caused by a bacterial or fungal overgrowth which you need to treat with a specialist or your GP.
The most common causes for smelly feet could be:
- Hyperhidrosis: a medical condition that causes you to sweat too much. It’s common amongst teenagers and pregnant women
- Athlete’s foot: it’s a pretty common fungal infection that comes with a red, itchy, rash. Although it’s not dangerous, you need to take precautions to avoid it from spreading to other body parts.
- You find it problematic to take care of your feet: this is particularly true for elderly or chronically ill patients who can’t groom their feet as they used to.
- Bacterial overgrowth: sweat isn’t smelly per se. It’s the combination of sweat, which has a neutral odour, with bacteria that contributes in creating a lethal stench.
When and why should I see a podiatrist?
Generally speaking, you should see a podiatrist with the same frequency as you see your dentist and this is even truer if you happen to have pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes.
If you -or the people who live with you- think your feet are too smelly, you should definitely make an appointment with a foot care specialist.
No problem is too small or embarassing for a podiatrist and seeing one for your stinky feet would certainly help you prevent recurring infections, diagnose conditions you didn’t know you had or simply help you take good care of your feet.
Making An Appointment…
To book a session with one of our foot care specialists, you can call us on 01606 45077 or book your podiatry service with our online tool here.
