Almost a third of Germans complain about sweaty feet – men are affected significantly more often than women. But what helps against smelly feet? The selection of the right socks and shoes plays an important role. In addition, careful foot care is also important to combat sweaty feet. We present the best home remedies against sweaty feet.
Causes of sweaty feet
The fact that our feet sweat is a natural process. In fact, sweating protects the body from overheating. When we sweat, we primarily lose water and common salt – sweat in itself therefore does not smell unpleasant. It is only when bacteria decompose the sweat and produce butyric acid that the penetrating odor develops. Anyone who sweats more than is necessary for the body’s heat regulation suffers from so-called hyperhidrosis – excessive sweat production. However, sweaty feet are not always caused by such hyperhidrosis. Sweating is only pathological if more than 50 milligrams of sweat per minute are secreted per foot.
Carefully select socks and shoes
Often, sweaty feet can already be combated by choosing the right socks and shoes. Choose socks made of breathable materials that easily transport sweat to the outside. Special running socks, for example, are well suited. On the other hand, you should avoid synthetic socks. Shoes should also be as breathable as possible. For example, go for sports shoes with a mesh-like surface. In contrast to closed shoes, in which it is often difficult for sweat to evaporate, much less sweat accumulates here. This also results in less unpleasant foot odor. If you prefer closed shoes, make sure when buying that the shoes are made of breathable materials such as leather. Unsuitable, on the other hand, are shoes made of plastic. Spray your shoes with a shoe disinfectant once a week – this makes it difficult for bacteria to survive in the shoes.
Wear open shoes in the summer
Sweaty feet are a particular problem in the summer months. This is because the higher the temperatures climb, the more your feet sweat. During this time, run barefoot as much as possible or wear open shoes such as sandals or flip-flops. This way, the feet sweat less and the smell of sweat decreases. If summer temperatures do not prevail and you do not want to wear open shoes, you should change your shoes regularly. It is best to wear closed shoes only one day at a time and then give them a day off. So the shoes can dry in peace and air out a little.
Fight sweaty feet through hygiene and care
Often, sweaty feet can be fought quite simply. In addition to choosing the right socks and shoes, careful hygiene is also important: wash your feet regularly and apply cream carefully. You can remove excess calluses with a pumice stone. Care does not always eliminate the cause of sweaty feet, but usually at least minimizes the formation of odors.
6 Home remedies for sweaty feet
In addition to careful care, there are many effective home remedies against sweaty feet. We introduce you to the best remedies:
- Take a foot bath in the morning to refresh the feet. Then dry your feet thoroughly – even between the toes! If you have time, you can then blow dry the feet.
- Sage has an antiperspirant effect. Give the medicinal plant therefore as an additive in your foot bath.
- In addition to sage, the following bath additive is also to fight sweaty feet effectively: give 50 grams of oak bark, thyme, walnut leaves and willow bark together with 20 grams of eucalyptus leaves and three liters of water in a pot and boil the mixture for a quarter of an hour.
- Put a thin insole, which absorbs sweat, in the shoes. Thin leather soles or soles made of cedar wood are well suited. Also recommended are soles with cinnamon as well as activated carbon.
- Use foot powder: simply apply the powder on the sole of the foot and in the spaces between the toes. It absorbs emerging beads of sweat and can thus effectively combat sweaty feet.
- Wear socks with silver threads. The silver ions contained in the threads are said to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria that decompose sweat. If there are fewer bacteria, the unpleasant odor also subsides.
Fight sweaty feet with medication
If the sweaty feet can not be fought with the above home remedies, you can also use ointments or lotions with aluminum chloride for treatment. The active ingredient ensures that the sweat ducts contract. As a result, less or no sweat can be released through the sweat glands. Compared to ointments, lotions have the advantage that they are absorbed more quickly into the skin. In addition to ointments and lotions, there are also special foot deodorants with aluminum chloride. They also ensure that sweat production is reduced. Alternatively, you can also use deodorant sprays containing alcohol. These kill the bacteria and thus prevent the sweat from breaking down. Aluminum chloride repeatedly comes under criticism because it is suspected of having a harmful effect on the body. However, sufficient scientific evidence to support this thesis does not exist so far.
With strong sweating to the doctor
If you suffer from heavy sweating feet or also sweat excessively in other parts of the body, you should consult a dermatologist. He can determine whether excessive sweat production may be behind your symptoms. The causes of such hyperhidrosis are manifold. In addition to hereditary factors, hypersensitivity of the sweat center in the brain and enlarged sweat glands are also possible. In addition, diseases such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, tuberculosis, malaria and certain tumors can also be behind the heavy sweating. In addition, sweat production can also increase as a result of taking certain medications. If excessive sweat production is the cause of sweaty feet, treatments such as low current therapy (ionophoresis) or treatment with Botox are possible. In this case, have your doctor explain the possible risks beforehand. Surgery, which involves cutting the nerves that supply the corresponding sweat glands, should always be the last option due to possible side effects.
